9. Nocturne
NOCTURNE
Nocturne was tucked into a basement-level spot in Shockoe Bottom, no windows, no natural light.
Just dim red and purple LEDs, expensive bottles, and private rooms where the city's elite came to play.
It was owned by a vampire named Kove who ran a neutral ground for crews to meet without bloodshed.
As long as you paid for your room and didn't start shit in the main area, you were good.
Reign parked and checked his phone. Still nothing from Soreya.
He texted her.
Reign (9:14 PM): Where you at?
He waited. No response.
His chest tightened. She was avoiding him. He could feel it.
Sevyn pulled up beside him in a blacked-out Durango, music thumping. He got out, dressed in all black—black Essentials hoodie, black cargo pants, black Timbs. He looked like he was ready for war, not karaoke.
"You good?" Sevyn asked, walking up.
"Yeah." Reign locked his car and pocketed his phone. "Soleil here yet?"
"She inside. Got the whole room set up." Sevyn glanced at Reign, his expression unreadable. "You sure you good? You been off lately."
"I'm fine."
"Aight." Sevyn didn't push. That was the thing about his brother—he knew when to let shit go. "Let's get this over with. I ain't tryna be here all night."
They walked into Nocturne, the bass from the main floor vibrating through the walls. The spot was packed—bottle girls in designer fits, groups of people in private rooms singing off-key, security posted up at every corner. Reign nodded at a few familiar faces as they made their way to the back.
Their private room was at the end of the hall, soundproofed and stocked with bottles of Clase Azul, D'usse, and Dom Perignon. Soleil was already there, sitting on the leather couch with her legs crossed, scrolling through her phone. She looked up when they walked in.
"Bout time," she said, setting her phone down. She was wearing a black Mugler bodysuit that hugged every curve, paired with Louboutin heels and gold jewelry that caught the light. She looked like money and danger wrapped in one package.
"We here now," Reign said, closing the door behind them. "What's the play?"
Soleil stood and walked to the table where a laptop was open. She turned it around so Reign and Sevyn could see the screen. It was a TikTok video—a woman in her thirties, pretty, natural hair pulled back in a bun, sitting in what looked like a lab. She was talking directly to the camera.
"This is Arissa Sterling," Soleil said. "Grad student at VSU. Chemistry major. She been posting about her research for months, but this week it went viral."
Reign watched the video. Arissa's voice was confident, articulate. She was explaining the science behind her serum—something about UV resistance, cellular regeneration, melanin enhancement. Most of it went over Reign's head, but the comments section was going crazy.
"This real??"
"She really made vampires real "
"Nah this gotta be cap"
"If this work she bout to be RICH"
Soleil paused the video. "She don't know it yet, but she a hybrid. That's the only way she could've figured this out. Human scientists been trying for decades. But she got vampire blood in her. Probably a grandparent, maybe further back. It's dormant, but it's there."
"How Cairo know?" Sevyn asked, pouring himself a drink.
"Because he had her bloodwork pulled. One of our people work at the clinic she go to.
Her markers don't lie." Soleil leaned against the table.
"She the real deal. And if we get her and that formula, we own the daylight.
We can move product, handle business, expand territory without being limited to nighttime. You know what that mean?"
Reign knew exactly what it meant. It meant power. It meant control. It meant the Saint family would be untouchable.
But it also meant dragging another person into their world. Another life they'd ruin.
"What if she don't wanna come?" Reign asked.
Soleil's smile was sharp. "Then we make her wanna come. Or we take what we need and leave her behind. Either way, we getting that formula."
Sevyn nodded, downing his drink. "I say we just take it. Why we gotta play nice?"
"Because Cairo want her alive," Soleil said. "She valuable. If she can make one serum, she can make more. We need her brain, not just her research."
Reign's phone buzzed. He pulled it out, hoping it was Soreya.
It wasn't.
Cairo (9:47 PM): Handle this right. We need her.
Reign locked his phone and looked at Soleil. "When we moving?"
"Tomorrow night. I already got her address. We go in smooth, make the offer, see how she respond." Soleil's eyes flicked to Reign. "You the closer. You make her feel safe. Then we bring her in."
Reign didn't respond. He hated this part. Hated being the bait, the charm, the lie. But it was what he was good at.
"Aight," he said finally. "I'm in."
"Good." Soleil grabbed the bottle of Dom and poured three glasses. "Now let's celebrate before we handle business."
Sevyn grabbed the mic and scrolled through the song list. "I'm going first."
"You always go first," Soleil said, rolling her eyes.
"Because I'm the best." Sevyn grinned and selected a song—something aggressive, something that matched his energy. When the beat dropped, he was on it, rapping along, his voice raw and unfiltered.
Reign sat on the couch, drink in hand, watching his siblings. Soleil was laughing, recording Sevyn on her phone. For a moment, it felt normal. Like they were just a family having a good time.
But Reign couldn't shake the feeling in his chest. The unease. The distance.
He checked his phone again.
Still nothing from Soreya.
He texted her.
Reign (10:03 PM): You ignoring me?
This time, the three dots appeared. His heart jumped.
Soreya (10:05 PM): No. Just been busy. Long day.
Reign (10:06 PM): Too busy to text me back?
Soreya (10:07 PM): Reign don't start. I'm tired.
Reign (10:08 PM): Start what? I'm just asking where you at.
Soreya (10:09 PM): I'm home. About to go to sleep. Got an early shift tomorrow.
Reign stared at the message. She was lying. He could feel it. Soreya didn't go to sleep early. She stayed up late, waiting for him, worrying about him. But now she was "tired"? Now she had "early shifts"?
Reign (10:11 PM): I'm coming through tonight. Don't be sleep.
The three dots appeared and disappeared. Appeared and disappeared.
Finally, she responded.
Soreya (10:13 PM): Reign I'm really tired. Can we do this tomorrow?
His jaw clenched. She was avoiding him. And that meant something was wrong. Something he couldn't see yet but could feel in his bones.
Reign (10:14 PM): Nah. Tonight. I'll be there in an hour.
He didn't wait for her response. He locked his phone and stood up.
"Where you going?" Soleil asked, pausing mid-sip.
"I got something I need to handle."
"Reign, we in the middle of?—"
"I said I got something to handle." His voice was sharp, final.
Soleil's eyes narrowed. "This about Soreya?"
Reign didn't answer. He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.
"You slipping, big bro," Soleil called after him. "And it's gonna cost us."
Reign stopped, his hand on the door handle. He turned back, his expression cold. "I got it handled."
"Do you?" Soleil stood, crossing her arms. "Because from where I'm standing, you more worried about some girl than the family. And that's a problem."
"She ain't just some girl."
"Then what is she?" Soleil's voice was sharp, cutting. "Because if she a liability, we need to know now."
Reign's eyes flashed. "She ain't a liability."
"Then prove it. Tomorrow night. We handle Arissa. You do your job. And you stop letting Soreya distract you from what matter."
Reign stared at his sister, the tension thick between them. Finally, he nodded. "Tomorrow night. I'll be there."
"Good."
He left without another word, the sound of Sevyn's voice and the bass from the karaoke room fading behind him.
Soreya sat on her couch, staring at Reign's last message.
Reign (10:14 PM): Nah. Tonight. I'll be there in an hour.
Her stomach twisted. She wasn't ready to see him. Wasn't ready to look him in the eye and pretend everything was fine when it wasn't. Because the truth was, she'd been thinking about Truitt. Thinking about how easy it was to talk to him. How safe he made her feel.
And that terrified her.
Because she loved Reign. She did. But loving him was exhausting. It was waiting up until 4 AM. It was fighting and crying and wondering if he was cheating. It was feeling like she was losing her mind trying to figure out what was wrong with him when he wouldn't just tell her.
Her phone buzzed.
Truitt (10:21 PM): Hope you had a good day. Sleep well.
She stared at the message, her chest tightening. Truitt didn't ask for anything. Didn't demand her time or her energy. He just... cared. And that was dangerous.
Because the more she talked to him, the more she realized what she was missing with Reign.
Her phone buzzed again.
Reign (10:34 PM): I'm on my way.
Soreya's heart raced. She stood, pacing her apartment. She didn't know what to do. Didn't know how to face him when she felt like this.
But she knew one thing.
Tonight was going to change everything.