Clink.
The resounding clatter of ice in a whiskey glass was the only sound in the pristine office besides the bustle of the city below and the droning hum of the air conditioner. Moonlight streamed through the massive glass windows, casting a sliver, ethereal glow around the room.
Joel Prince lazily turned his black leather office chair around, away from his ornate desk to look at the sprawling metropolis before him. Port Rosa was stunningly beautiful, especially at night. Once a quiet fishing town off the coast of Florida, the city had grown seemingly overnight into a powerhouse of new technological advances.
It was the sleepy background of the city that had drawn Joel to build his home office here. A technological giant in the world of tech with Joel at the helm, steering the massive company to success in an ever-changing world.
The lights of the city spread out, thousands of twinkling orbs suspended in the inky darkness. People scurried from place to place in cars, on mopeds and by foot. Joel swirled his whiskey around in the glass and mulled over his plans for the evening.
He'd completed most of the menial tasks remaining on his laptop, and now he was free to see where the night might take him. Joel mused about exploring the city, but quickly shooed the thought away. He was entirely too recognizable, losing any air of anonymity when he'd brought his business to the coastal city. Sure, he could feasibly go out, drop a few hundreds on loose women and booze, but even with all his success, Joel Prince was a relatively simple man.
After debating for a while, Joel simply opted to page the front desk worker and ask them to bring his car around, but there was no answer. Grumbling, he picked up his cell phone to call the landline down in the office, to no avail.
After the third attempt to contact the staff was unsuccessful, Joel decided to retrieve his keys himself and made a mental note to get more attentive employees. As he rode the pristine elevator to the underground garage, he mused to himself about what could possibly be so important to his staff that they would ignore a direct call from their ceo.
The metal doors of the elevator wailed in protest as they sluggishly opened, allowing Joel to step into the concrete monstrosity that made up the garage. Rows upon rows of perfectly polished cars lay before him, the personal vehicles of higher-ups in his company. Joel made his way to his car, a luxurious blue sedan shimmering in the glow of the flurescent lights.
As Joel neared his car, he noticed one of the familiar vehicles parked further down had one of it's doors open, headlights on and music blaring. His brow wrinkled in confusion. The modest pickup stuck out in the rows of manicured luxury cars, belonging to one of his security guards.
Joel's indignant curiousity got the better of him and he turned away from his car and walked towards the black truck. Employment with Prince Industries required a certain amount of professionalism and this guard being away from his post jeprodised not only his safety, but the safety of all his staff and coworkers.
The annoyance that pooled in his chest was quickly replaced by fear as Joel neared the driver's side door. The acrid stench of fresh death assulted his nostrils. Deep maroon liquid sluggishly dripped from the door of the pickup, staining the worn concrete a sickening shade of red.
Todd, the security guard, was slumped against the center console of the vehicle, a gaping wound in the side of his throat. The blood had long since stopped spurting, encrusting the unwitting victim in his own fluids. Joel's heart sank as he noticed the gaurd was stipped of his uniform, save for his pants and white undershirt. Whoever had done this had taken the role of a security guard and infiltrated his business, his second home.
Joel's heart raced as he took a cautious step backwards, revolted at the sight of his former coworker. He thought of the countless employees in the lobby with no way of knowing the horror in the garage. He raced to the elevator, quickly punching the glowing button for the lobby. With trembling hands, Joel reached in his pocket and groped for his cell phone. Another shock ran through him as he realized he couldn't find his only lifeline.
His heartbeat threatened to deafen him, seconds ticking by as the elevator casually worked to deliver him to the lobby floor, soothing jazz music floating down from the tinny speaker. After what felt like an eternity, A soft ding signalled that the onyx-haired man had reached his destination.
Joel had to force himself not to retch as the stomach-turning massarce in the lobby came into view. The pristine white marble floor of Prince Industries ran red with the lifeblood of his innocent staff, splatters of gore coating nearly every surface. To the left of the elevator, A mousy secretary with brunette ringlets had been torn apart, her entrails spread across a black leather couch. Her round face was shaped into a horrible grimace, her unseeing chocolate doe eyes wide in a vacant expression of fear and pain.
Despite the war in his mind to turn around and speed off, Joel was on a mission. He had to find a phone and call the authorities. Despite the bleak gore spread out around him, Joel had hope that perhaps some of his coworkers had fled the bloodbath. He carefully stepped around the remains of the woman before him, quietly making his way to the front desk.
As he neared the desk, his breath caught in his chest. A wet, squlching sound made him stop in his tracks, making him turn towards the gruesome noise. His emerald eyes widened as he saw the hulking creature responsible for this massacre.
Crouched over a body, formally known as his front desk receptionist Lisa, was a massive creature unlike anything Joel had ever seen. The humanoid beast was nearly twice the size of the tall victim it was consuming. It's fur was saturated in blood, the tawny brown hair stained crimson in patches. Massive, batlike wings protruded from the arms of the creature, the leathery webbing glistening in the twinkling lights of the lobby. An elongated jaw filled with rows on needle-like teeth, punctuated with four long canine teeth tore sinew and muscle with ease as it consumed what was left of Lisa.
Joel was frozen in fear as the massive pointed ear of the creature turned towards him. He took a step back, trying to creep away before it noticed him, but it was too late. Golden eyes with slitted pupils fixed on Joel, the blood-soaked maw of the creature opening to release a furious roar.
Joel sprinted away from the animal as fast as his legs would take him, his breath burning his lungs as he tried to run back to the elevator. The creature was much fast then him, and in only two leaps from it's muscular legs, had caught him by the back of his neck and forced him to the floor.
His eyes watered as searing pain tore through the back of his neck, the air forced out of him as he fell onto the frigid marble floor. His heart thundered in his chest as he was rolled onto his back, coming face-to-face with the animal. Warm, fetid breath poured over his face in short pants as the creature analysed him, a frightening intelligence from such a brutal animal.
The soft clicking of heels echoed throughout the room, making the creature hulking above him growl. "Get out! Run for your life!" Joel screamed, the creature snarled and bared it's teeth at him, scaring the young ceo into silence.
"Down, Sebastian. We need this one alive."
A petite woman walked around the hulking creature to look at him. She was dressed in simple yet elegant office attire that hugged her ample frame, peering down at him with a sneer. Her silvery blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders as she adjusted her glasses to get a better look at him. "Joel Prince." She spat, the cold words darting from her ample lips as if they were coated in poison. Her aquamarine eyes were hard, sharp and discerning, looking him up and down as if he was a prize to be won.
Joel's stomach twisted as he noticed the creature gave a submissive nod to the woman and shifted it's weight, waiting for the command of it's master.
"The car is around back, waiting. Put him to sleep before you load him, I don't want him getting any ideas about escaping." Despite her small stature, the plump woman commanded authority, looking at the creature above joel as if her were a petulant lap dog.
Joel locked eyes with the creature as it slammed a rag under his nostrils. Despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins, Joel fell into unconsiousness.
