Blush is seemingly unfazed by the sudden shift in the atmosphere and decides to announce my arrival to the group with a cheery attitude.
“Everyone, this is Noir. She’s a new dancer here.”
Just as I am about to speak, the distant sound of motorbikes cuts through the moment. Blush suddenly grabs my arm, yanking me around the campfire, where she pulls me down to sit beside her on a nearby tree trunk and the quickness in her actions leaves me feeling on edge about the approaching noise.
The thunderous roar grows louder as they get nearer, sending vibrations through the ground beneath us. I gaze ahead until all three dirt bikes soar through the air. When they land dangerously close to the campfire, I flinch but the riders rev their engines aggressively, their evil laughter echoing through the forest as they circle us at rapid speed. Mud and leaves are flung into the air, swirling around us in a chaotic dance. I attempt to see their faces, but their speed makes them into blurs, leaving their identities shrouded and my mind dizzy.
As the bikes finally come to a sudden stop with a skid of their tires, I take in the sight of them as soon as their engine’s cut out, each bike a different colour. One gleams in vibrant red, another in a neon green, while the third is black and white. The riders remain hidden; their features concealed by shadows, but their presence looms heavy around us, radiating an aura of darkness, danger and unpredictability that sends a shiver down my spine. I keep my gaze on the trio until one of them steps off his bike and turns around.
“The Hollow’s” Blush murmurs into my ear from behind.
With tousled blonde locks atop his head, his piercing green spiral contacts draw my attention, and he has a big mischievous smile on his lips. Colourful tattoos scatter across his exposed skin and since he is only wearing a black tank paired with sweatpants, I can easily see his toned physique. The eerie swirls that are on the sides of his face only add to his unsettling vibes.
“Hollow Soul has green eyes.” Blush whispers.
The second biker turns around, lighting a cigarette. His spiral eyes are a bright red matched with his deep brown, wavy hair, partially hidden beneath his black hoodie. His face paint blackens around his eyes, and I notice the stitches criss-crossing over his lips and across his cheeks. A nose ring glints in the dim light, and his tattoos seem to cover his body from head to toe. He is nothing like Soul; there is something much darker about him, but they are both still oddly handsome in a strange way.
“Hollow Wrath has red eyes.”
I observe the third figure between them, feeling drawn to his presence amongst the trio, despite his back turned to us. His tall, toned frame is clear even from this distance, dressed in black, tight, and tattered jeans, with the hood pulled up on his leather jacket.
I lean into whisper to Blush, my curiosity getting the better of me. “Who is the one in the middle?”
He turns to the side, retrieving a cigarette with calm movements and I take in the details of his side profile: the way his black, loosely curled hair shines in the moonlight, protruding from the front of his hood, almost covering his eyes and his jaw is sharp. Black face paint only highlights his cheekbones, covers his nose and darkens his eyes, streaking down his cheeks. He has a stitch design that stretches from the corners of his mouth to his cheek and a piercing on the bottom left side of his lip.
When he turns his head to take a brief glance in our direction, he double-takes as soon as he notices me, and I cannot stop my breath from hitching in my throat. His white and black, glowing spiral eyes seem to pierce through the darkness and me, locked with an almost hypnotic allure.
A shiver scurries through me, the hairs on my arms raising to attention as I find myself momentarily shook by his good looks, even if I can barely see them; I can only imagine how handsome he is beneath all the paints.
Blush hesitantly speaks into my ear, “That’s Hollow Hellion; The ringleader of The Hollow’s.They are what you would call the daredevils in other places.”
Soul suddenly steps forward eagerly in my direction, catching my attention, “Fresh fucking pussy!” he chuckles, his approach predatory, and it causes tension to spike inside me.
Before I can fully process the situation and stand up for myself, he comes to a sudden stop as soon as a hand tightens on the scruff of his neck, yanking him back by force. My gaze follows the aggressive movement until Hellion comes into view, exuding dominance over him.
As Soul stumbles backward, hastily adjusting himself under Hellion's stern glare, I can still feel my pulse pounding, letting me know I must have some feelings inside me, after all.
Hellion suddenly turns his head swiftly, his glowing eyes flashing to mine in an unnerving manner. He comes toward me, every stride calculated, twigs snapping beneath his heavy boots, yet I hold his stare, refusing to let him see any of my vulnerabilities around his evil vibe. When he stops, he slowly crouches in front of me, and the silence hangs in the air, everyone falling quiet.
Despite the face paint obscuring some of his features and blackening his eyes, making them look hollow like a skull would, there is an undeniable magnetism about him, drawing me into his darkness involuntarily.
Now we’re at eye level, we both analyse one another's features, a strange connection crackling in the small space between us.His spiralling contacts make it difficult for me to detect where he is looking, but mine boldly trace downward to the contours of his strong chest, noticing the ripple of muscles beneath his unzipped hoodie. The sight of his shirtless torso, decorated with swirling tattoos that wind their way across his tanned skin up to his sharp jaw, is both mesmerizing and menacing.
I become very aware of where his eyes are moving, when his head starts to tilt downward, tracing a heated path over my petite frame, tingling everywhere they move. His sight settles on my bare thighs, where the evidence of my pain is etched in slashes.
When I instinctively cover them with my hands so he cannot see me in any way as weak, his eyes flicker upward to meet mine. In a swift motion and without warning, he flips out a knife, positioning the sharp tip beneath my chin. I raise it slightly in response and even as adrenaline courses through my veins, pumping at an alarming rate, I narrow my eyes on his, ready to tell him to fuck off.
“Hell, please don’t—” Blush's panicked voice cuts through the intensity, making me realize that there must be some kind of seriousness in this situation.
His eyes dart to Blush, and her words fade into the background as she looks away, obeying him without hesitation.
“Hell has found a toy.” Soul's hyper tone comes from my left with an unbearable energy.
Fed up with their bullshit, I swipe Hellion's arm away with a forceful motion, causing the tip of his sharp blade to nip my skin, yet the pain does not faze me.
“I’m nobody's little toy.” I scowl at him, gritting my teeth in frustration.
He meets my stern glare, his head tilting to the side expressionlessly. Then, he elevates his chin at my brave stance, clearly curious about me, before his eyes carefully follow the trickle of blood that trails down the front of my throat.
