Another drawing I did up above for reference 👀👀

The Tear Stealer clenched his jaw as the music pounded into his skull, deafeningly loud. Partygoers screamed and danced to the pulsing waves, knocking into each other and spilling their drinks. The scent of drugs burned his nose, staining his midnight garbs with sin.

Dark stared straight ahead, his presence like an invisible force that parted the sea of Evolveds. His robes swayed at his feet, merely catching on a few peoples' grabbing hands and stomping feet. He turned, walking up to a desolate, empty stone door that practically whispered with meaning. A guard stood at its side.

"Tear Stealer," said the guard, bristling. "Why are you here?"

"It's obvious," he said, voice projecting over the music with little effort. "I'm here to see Antinstine."

"State your business with him."

Dark furrowed his brows in distaste, red eyes gleaming. "I need a favor."

The bodyguard rose a hairless brow, staring at him. "The Tear Stealer—a favor? What does a High Evolved need from Anti—"

Dark rose his hand as if he were going to grab the guard's face, fingers poised and threatening. The guard flinched, quickly squinting his eyes as if it were going to protect him.

"Antinstine and I," said Dark, pressing himself against the bodyguard, "are civil in our discussions. A lowlife like you wouldn't understand."

The bodyguard huffed through his nose, wincing when Dark tightened his fingers, the hint of his ability sending a sharp pain through the guard's eyes. He bared his teeth.

"I apologize, sir," said the guard. "I'll let you through."

Dark dropped his hand, and the guard slumped with a heaving sigh, quickly trying to restore his stature as an intimidating guard. He knocked on the door and pressed on his earpiece, saying the simple words, "T.S. is here."

The guard glanced at Dark, who kept his threatening stance, pressing the ear piece again to nod.

"Five minutes," he said, opening the stone door. The Tear Stealer nodded, pushing past the guard and entering the room. Once the stone door shut behind him, everything went quiet—the music only a whisper and a faint tap.

The room was made purely of stone, blocking off the outside world.  Four walls—closed off, lit like a cell. In the middle stood a grey desk and the man he needed to talk to.

"Antinstine."

The man raised his head, gaze hostile; green and blue eyes gleamed bright against the blank walls.

    "Dark," he greeted, voice rough and jagged. He remained seated, staring at the other with such scorn that it could burn holes through the thick walls. "It's been a while."

His eyes swept up and down Dark's frame, ears twitching. "And you're unarmed, too. Good."

    The Tear Stealer stepped forward, examining the state of the other Evolved. Antinstine grimaced under his scrutiny.

    "I need a favor," he said calmly, voice deep and assertive. Anti rose a brow, grinning with fanged teeth and snickering.

    "Another one?" he laughed. "Last time you struck my end of the deal, you didn't leave without blood! What makes you think I should help you again?"

    The Tear Stealer frowned, inwardly grimacing at the memory. "I was younger then," he reasoned. "Foolish and testy."

    "Mm, well you're still foolish," he said with a giggle, glancing down at his sharp black nails. He looked up at the Tear Stealer through half-lidded eyes, reclining and swinging his feet up onto the desk. "Tell me what you want. Then I'll see if I want to help you."

    Dark inhaled, hands twitching. "One of my people picked up on a call," he said. "A human who plans to kill me." He paused. "I want to—"

    "A human?" Anti rose a brow, a smirk straining the edges of his lips. "Well, there's certainly no need to worry about something like that, Dark. Knowing you, you'd kill them in a heartbeat. Not me, though." He chuckled, picking at his nails. "No, no, I like to examine the humans. Get under their skin."

    His eyes flashed as he returned his attention to the Tear Stealer. "I get it now—why you loved picking me apart." He grinned, showing his glittering fangs, and Dark bristled. "It's quite exciting."

    "I came here to ask for a favor," snapped Dark, irritated from being interrupted, "not catch up."

    Anti's grin fell, and he sighed dramatically, closing his eyes. "Ugh, you boring old slob," he sighed. "Go on."

    The Tear Stealer huffed through his nose. "I want to borrow one of your Evolved's abilities." He paused. "Cibil."

    Anti slowly rose from his seat, limbs sweeping off of the desk and landing on the floor in one clean, violent motion. He stared at Dark, raising to his full height.

    "She's fragile," he whispered, fingers twitching. "Young."

    "I just want to speak with her," said Dark. "You can be there the entire time."

    Antinstine hummed, circling around the desk and leaning against it, his figure threatening. "All this for a human?" he asked, eyes flashing with interest. "Is he really a threat?"

    "Most likely not," Dark drawled. "Humans can be surprising, though."

    Anti crossed his arms, walking up to the Tear Stealer and staring him straight in the eye. "What are you going to ask Cibil?" he breathed, breath hot in his face. Dark didn't even flinch, staring back with the same heat.

    "I want to ask when the human is going to attack," said the Tear Stealer quietly. "I have... plans for him."

    Anti squinted at him, intensely close, and hummed.

    "Alright, then. What's in it for me?" He stepped away, and Dark exhaled, glad to have some space again. "What do I want?"

    The Tear Stealer straightened himself, staring evenly at Anti as he paced the room, thinking through the ordeal.

    "Ah," said Anti, stopping in place. "Yes, I know... I want something personal... close to home."

    He stepped forward, tapping his nails together. "One month," he said. "I want an Evolved from your House to join mine."

    Dark bristled, shocked with his words. "That isn't nearly as equal as mine—"

    "You weren't fair last time, Dark," said Antinstine, raising a finger to stop him. "You left this city in blood and rubble, and did I go after you? No. Does this deal guarantee you won't do the same again? Not at all." His eyes flashed. "It can be a chance for you to make amends, though."

    The Tear Stealer grimaced, drawing back. Anti gave a victorious smirk.

    "Perfect," he said. "Cibil's insight for one of your people."

    He walked up to him again, holding out a hand. "Deal?"

    Dark stared for a moment, mind whirring. Reluctantly, he slipped off his glove and took his hand, and Anti squeezed it with a smile, shaking it.

    "Deal," said the Tear Stealer.

    Anti pulled his hand away, grinning with fangs. "Come back tomorrow night," he said. "Nine o'clock."

    Dark nodded, turning towards the door. "See you tomorrow," he said, and Anti mockingly waved goodbye. Once he opened the door, Anti flinched in the slightest at the barricade of noise, and then Dark left. His ears began to ring at the tumultuous sound, and he grimaced, bustling through the crowd and out into the cold night air.

    He took a deep breath, the music still pumping through his body.

    "I'll kill him," hissed Dark under his breath. "I'll kill him."

He sighed and glanced around the worn-down, empty street, reaching for a black clump of fabric hooked to his side. He flattened it out, revealing a hood, and clipped it onto his silver clasp, bringing it over his head to hide his face.

    Then, he walked through the bustling city despite being forbidden to (from past agreements), allowing a smile to reach his lips as he looked at what used to be his home. Ideas began to float about his head, and he returned home quietly, carrying the weight of one of his people on his shoulders.

Thank you so much for reading!

Have a great dayy,
Kassian 🖤