Dramatic Aside Novels & Stories

She'd been here before, but she hadn't seen it through the eyes of a woman preparing for an espionage mission. Every detail seemed to stand out to her now. The vestibule she and Avery entered had a staircase ascending between two rows of columns. Between each column hung a Grecian lamp, the light illuminating the crowds that milled about below. Audrey almost tumbled into Avery as men and women moved around them. It was a popular play tonight, and they would likely be seen by many people, which Avery had told her was his intention. When she had asked him to explain why, he'd pursed his lips into a frown and said he would only tell her once they were safely out of the theater.

He glanced around the empty bar again, then back at the book. “Alright… let’s see what else you got.” Adam flipped the page. _____ Episode 2 – Theatre Desire The air backstage at the Grand Marquee Theater was thick with the smell of sweat, dust, and anticipation. It was the final dress rehearsal for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and the usual pre-show chaos had reached a fever pitch. Among the swirling bodies, two stood apart, locked in a tension far more intense than any stage drama.

“But I respect the privacy. Just know I’m here if you need to talk about it.” Adrian approached, script in hand. “Seraphine, can we run the scene for tomorrow? I want to make sure we’re on the same page emotionally.” They found a quiet corner and worked through the blocking. Adrian was a generous scene partner, easy to work with and genuinely talented. During a particularly intense moment, he took her hand for the scripted touch. Someone cleared their throat. James stood nearby, his expression neutral but his presence suddenly noticeable. “Sorry to interrupt. Ms. Ashton, you have a phone call. They said it’s urgent.”

POV : Sloane I stood at the entrance of the grand hall, greeting guests as they stepped inside. They approached me with polite smiles, offering formal handshakes before moving further into the celebration. I focused on maintaining calm control, determined to ensure the evening unfolded without a single flaw. Adrian appeared suddenly among the elegantly dressed crowd. He walked toward me with a desperate kind of certainty, his eyes fixed on mine. When he stopped in front of me, his voice trembled slightly as he said, “Please, let’s talk.”

that Adrian’s legs gave out beneath him. He stumbled backward, and hit the floor hard. The deafening crash sent the entire hall into an uproar. “We need a doctor! Someone’s passed out! He’s completely drunk, get the family physician! Which family is he with?” Adrian heard the chaos around him, but his eyes were fixed only on me, standing on the stage. He stared into my eyes, desperate to find a flicker of concern, of panic, of anything at all for him. But my gaze was calm, empty, sweeping over his face like he was nothing more than a stranger. Then I looked away, turned, and walked off the stage hand in hand with Nicolo.

When I step out of the room, the lady has her mouth open for a few seconds before she regains her composure. “Right this way.” she says, I follow her wordlessly, thinking about tonight, after he had placed his bid. An excited giggle nearly spills out of me. She gives me instructions on what to do on stage, what to expect, but I am only half listening since I knew he would take care of everything. By the time the lights were flashing in my eyes, and I was barely seeing anything, I wish I listened to her. From the crowd, I see Abed raising his phone, the number four boldly written on the screen, he was number four. I give him a subtle nod and slip into character.

Avel’s hand hovered closer to my back. “Watch,” he said. I couldn’t breathe. The attendant crossed the stage slowly, carrying a tray of silver goblets meant for the principal actors. She paused at centerstage as part of the choreography. And the lights dimmed. Just a little. Just enough. Then a flicker in the rafters. A shape descending. Not leaping. Not falling. Drifting. Like a shadow choosing where to land. The audience didn’t notice. The orchestra didn’t falter. The dancers—trained to keep their focus—never lifted their eyes. But I saw. The figure—male, pale, elegant in a way wrong for humanity—drifted behind the attendant, silent as death. She stiffened, but did not turn. Her breath shu

“And as a doctor, I highly recommend you take your chamomile tea and leave the premises before your blood pressure spikes to an unhealthy level. She asked for space. Give it to her.” Adrian stared at Romeo, his mouth opening and closing like a stranded fish. He looked from Romeo, to my closed door, and back to Romeo. The sheer, intimidating force of Romeo’s presence was entirely overwhelming. “This isn’t over,” Adrian muttered to my door. He spun on his heel and marched toward the broken elevator, then thought better of it and took the stairs instead. I stayed completely frozen behind my door, watching through the peephole as Adrian disappeared down the stairwell.

“What is it?” “They made a move,” she said. “On who?” “On him,” Asa replied, eyes darkening. “Not directly. A pressure test.” She inhaled slowly, feeling the weight of what came next settle into place. “I can’t stay invisible much longer,” she said. “They’re adapting.” Drayan nodded once. “So what’s the play?” Asa turned toward him, expression calm, lethal, resolved. “We let them see me,” she said. “Just enough to remind them what they’re afraid of.”