Boutique

As Lucia got out of the car, she gazed upon the boutique for the first time and was struck by its eerie and enchanting appearance.

The building loomed before her, its walls a deep, rich purple that seemed to glow in the fading light of day. The windows, tall and narrow, had panes adorned with intricate black ironwork that resembled twisted vines or snakes.

The door, painted a glossy black, was shaped like a crescent moon and adorned with a silver handle in the form of a serpent's head.Above the door, a sign in elegant, cursive script read "Athaliah's Boutique" in a language that seemed to shimmer and dance in the light.

The overall effect was one of mysterious allure, as if the boutique was a gateway to a world of secrets and forbidden delights.

Lucia approached the boutique, surrounded by imposing men in black, their weapons at the ready. The entrance was a flurry of activity, with some men loading items into a large truck, while others stood guard, their eyes fixed on her.

She felt a strange energy emanating from within, like a hum or a vibration that seemed to resonate deep within her bones.She hesitated for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest, before pushing open the door.

A bell above the door rang out, announcing her arrival as she stepped into the unknown.

Inside, the boutique was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of incense and something sweet and alluring.

Lucia's eyes adjusted slowly, and she saw a figure standing behind the counter, watching her. The figure stepped forward, revealing a stunning woman with long, raven hair and piercing green eyes.

"Ah, Lucia, I've been expecting you," Athaliah said, her voice husky and confident. "I must say, I'm impressed. You managed to shake off the Death Marksman. That's no easy feat."

Athaliah was once an evil queen who had slaughtered her own grandchildren in her past life.She had been made a demon by Satan himself. He believed her evil skills would benefit the Kingdom Below.

Her eyes gleamed with malevolence as she approached Lucia.Lucia's mind reeled as Athaliah approached her. She felt a strange sensation, as if she was still trapped in a dream .

Athaliah snapped her fingers and Lucia felt the chains of her hypnosis shatter.She was suddenly brought back to reality and was once more in control of her body.

"Who the hell are you?" Lucia demanded, her voice almost a scream. "How did you put me under your trance?"

Athaliah laughed, a low, throaty sound. "I wish I had time to chit-chat, dear, but the Death Marksman will be coming for you soon. We need to leave town. Go and change into something more suitable. Choose any dress you like, it's on the house."

Lucia hesitated, scared that she would be hypnotized again if she refused. But Athaliah's words were laced with an undercurrent of urgency, and she didn't want to risk being trapped again. She made her way to the dressing room, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Take any dress you desire, Lucia," Athaliah called out. "We need to leave in style."

Lucia's fingers trailed across the dresses, her eyes scanning the racks with a mix of curiosity and unease. The all-black ensemble seemed peculiar, but before she could ponder it further, the outside world erupted into chaos.

Gunshots resounded, followed by the anguished cries of the tough men who had stood guard. Their screams echoed into the boutique, making Lucia's heart race as she realized who could inspire such dread in those formidable demons. Mark had finally arrived.

As she dropped the dress she had been considering to wear, its silken fabric rustling to the floor, Athaliah burst into the room with a sense of urgency. "Change of plans, dear," she announced, her voice low and grave.

"I'm forced to reveal our darkest business secrets, but would you believe that others were dying for our...exclusive attires."

The doorbell above the entrance jangled, a jarring contrast to the chaos outside, as Athaliah's eyes locked onto Lucia with an unnerving intensity.

With a flick of her wrist, Athaliah began to chant in a language that sent shivers down Lucia's spine. The black fabric of the dresses seemed to disintegrate, fragmenting into tiny, dark specks that scurried across the floor like sinister entities.

Lucia's skin crawled as she watched, transfixed by the horror unfolding before her eyes. The specks coalesced into a swarm of twisted, crawling creatures that seemed to seethe with an unholy hunger.

Athaliah's voice dripped with malice as she revealed the true nature of the swarming creatures. "Lucia, don't be afraid of my little pets. They're just Hellticks, born from the union of dark magic and twisted science. And I feel no remorse in feeding the Death Marksman to them."

Her eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure as she screamed, "Hellticks, it's time to feast! Drain him dry!"

The critters surged forward like a dark tide, their tiny bodies swarming around Mark with relentless ferocity. Lucia watched in horror as Mark stood firm, his expression unreadable.

The Hellticks encircled him, their jaws snapping wildly, but they couldn't bridge the invisible gap that kept them at bay. Athaliah's face contorted in shock and disbelief as her minions froze, unable to attack.

Mark's voice was laced with disdain. "You're just extra, Athaliah. I've met dumb demons before, but you take the cake."

He sneered, "Your little bugs know better than to mess with a legend. They're smarter than you, that's for sure."

With a flick of his finger, he invoked the "uno reverse," and the Hellticks turned on their master.Lucia recoiled as the creatures engulfed Athaliah, their tiny bodies covering her like a dark, living shroud.

The air was filled with her screams, chilling Lucia to the bone. Mark, seeing how terrified Lucia was, ended it quickly, his shotgun blasting a bullet through Athaliah's head silencing her heart wrenching cries.

The Hellticks continued their grisly feast, but Mark doused them in petrol, watching as they burned with an unholy glee.

Lucia fled the carnage, her heart racing. She collapsed into a chair at the reception, her eyes fixed on the transparent glass windows.

Athaliah's men lay dead outside, their blood splattered everywhere. Lucia now knew that Mark was truly a force to be reckoned with.

He was definitely a man who commanded respect and inspired terror. She didn't need to know his secrets to understand that he was a man to be feared.