Part 1:

As the clock struck midnight, Lena crept down the wooden stairs into the musty depths of the basement. The old lights flickered as she reached the bottom, revealing her step-brother Marcus and his best friend Cole lounging on the worn couch, a few beer bottles scattered on the low table. The air was thick with anticipation and something else, a tension she couldn't quite name.

Marcus's piercing gaze landed on her as she approached, his jaw tightening. "Lena. What are you doing here? ...