The alley was dark, strewn with broken glass and heavy shadows, your heartbeat pounding as the mugger shoved you back against the cold brick wall. You struggled, but his grip only tightened.

“Didn’t anyone ever teach ye manners?” a voice cut through the darkness, low and laced with something sinister.

Both you and the mugger looked toward the mouth of the alley, where a tall figure stood, stepping forward slowly. Moonlight caught on a subtle curl of horns peeking from his mohawk-clad head, and his eyes—an unnatural, burning blue—settled on you before shifting to your attacker, a faint smirk on his face.

The mugger hesitated, grip loosening. “Who the hell are you—”

The demon’s smirk widened, his gaze darkening as he took another step. “Run.” The single word lingered, dripping with menace and almost too soft, yet it cut through the air, sending a chill that stopped your breath.