10: 30 PM EXACTLY...
The madness hadn't fully burned out, not yet.
Ace and Vince had just concluded their brutal brawl, one fueled more by pride and hunger than purpose. And like animals too twisted to understand restraint, they'd fallen back into each other's bodies almost as quickly as they'd torn each other apart.
The embers of Mackessie's villa still smoldered with the lingering scent of sweat, sex, blood, and rose incense. The air was saturated, heavy, no one had bothered to clean the ruin... what were Mackessie's maids for, if not to scrub away the aftermath of sin?
There was no formality, no meeting yet, just fragments of it, loosely forming in the wreckage.
Greta was still trembling, her legs weak from Ace's earlier grip that had left red trails up her thighs. Kolly hadn't bothered to redress; she was curled in Vince's oversized overcoat, the same one he'd discarded after licking her clean like a meal. Goldie, shameless and smug, was still sucking Magnus's taste off her fingers with a satisfied moan, like it was dessert.
Hans chuckled to himself in the corner, shirt torn, knuckles bleeding, his head lazily resting on Paris' shoulder. Liz sat at his feet, dragging her long nails down his thigh while he murmured dark things only Paris could hear. Rhea lay passed out, her body curled around a cushion, evidence of overstimulation etched across her skin.
But Mackessie... she was the only one that looked quite energetic, and pure.
The mistress of the pink villa sat in her throne like seat, legs crossed, a full glass of untouched red wine swirling in her hand. Her silk robe clung to her hips like whispered temptation, but there was no hunger in her gaze, no indulgence, just disdain, as if she hated them all and herself for even inviting them.
"We're late." Susanna hissed, her voice sharp as a blade.
"We were never on time." Goldie murmured without lifting her head.
A soft chime echoed from the arched hallway, not loud, not dramatic, but precise, and it silenced the room.
The scent of power arrived before the man himself.
Nikolai Virel entered without sound but with consequence. The kind of entrance that made even lust hold its breath, the kind of presence that made the orgy stop breathing.
The 'Almighty' exec of the Shadows Syndicate, Archon's second in command. The primal crown prince of the Shadow Syndicate, as people says because they have a feeling that he's going to take over after Archon even though he doesn't have his own fraternity yet.
The double doors didn't open... they parted.
He stepped in like darkness had taken form and decided to wear a man's body. Tall, sculpted and carved like myth, face cold as ancient marble, not handsome... beyond that... beyond elegance.
His long black coat trailed behind him like a curse, like something sentient. The four shadows at his back moved in tandem... Axel, Dante, Torian, and Sirell... all dressed in death's kiss, black velvet, silk, sharpness. They looked like war disguised as royalty, war draped in elegance, and Nikolai, at their center, moved like a king without need for thrones.
He was never on time, Shante was sometimes later, if he's lucky, he gets to arrive after her, it was a known dance. A rivalry without name, but this time, looks like Shante won the round.
Cause she has not arrived, yet.
Sirell, to his left, was dressed in sheer lace that left nothing to imagination. She hates Shante Jarret... hates the way she walks,talks, breaths, smells, everything totally despises her. Not just because Shante was powerful or was elegant, but because Shante didn't need anyone, not even Nikolai, she was like so untouchable.
Sirell wants Nikolai, well she's having him but it's like nothing cause Nikolai wants power, and Shante moved like a threat, a threat to Nikolai.
Her gaze scanned the villa with manic precision, leaping past Greta, Goldie even Kolly... and landing on absence.
Shante wasn't here.
Sirell smiled, the kind of smile one wears when the threat hasn't shown up, but it wasn't for too long cause in the next one second, another bell sounded.
This one was louder, bolder, it didn't ask for attention... it seized it, it slammed like a warning.
And then... she walked in.
Shante Jarret.
She didn't walk... she strolled like the floor was a runway she'd designed herself. A storm wrapped in skin, dressed like a scandal wrapped in grace. Her head high, black lipstick stayed pristine, her dress a scandal in cloth... deep red, tighter than sin, split thigh, and a neck so deep it dared someone to stare.
Her magical divine jasmine scent trailed behind her.
Vince and Ace caught themselves staring at the deep v neckline and Ace was so tempted to pluck off Vince's eyes.
Julian and Mae flanked her like daggers in human form. She never brought the both of them along together, it was either Julian or Mae or sometimes she comes alone. It was the first time both had shown up beside her, it looked like she was passing a message or maybe a warning, Hans couldn't stop his shitty grin.
Silence fell like a blade, the silence was a character of its own now.
Kolly sat up straight, Vince's coat dropped on the sofa, she was sheer naked... well her boobs down to her belly button was exposed but no one looked towards her side. Greta whispered something to Oyra, eyes narrowing. Sirell's smile collapsed, she hissed lowly through her teeth.
Nikolai's gaze devoured her with something primal and dangerous, he didn't move, didn't speak, he just took in a sharp inhale and her scent filled his brain,he so hated it. He stayed still, something in his body language screamed attention.
Shante didn't glance at him, not even once.
"Is this what passes for a meeting now?" she asked, her voice a calm, velvety mockery. Her eyes wandered across the mess... the bodies, the mess, the stains of ruin.
Mackessie rolled her eyes, sipping her wine. "You would know."
"At least I come late with purpose."
Shante slid into a chair, legs crossed like a queen.
"You're an event, darling, not a purpose," Mackessie snapped.
The air suddenly tightened, everyone had somewhat shocked faces on their faces because they know that although Te isn't really pleased with Kessie,the two of them rarely sparred. They kept to their lanes, so this hate was... new, and it unsettled the room.
Greta and Kolly exchanged a glance, both of them smirking. They hated both Te and Kessie but if either had to choose between Kessie and Te, they'll pick Te. At least she wasn't a daddy's girl.The tension between Te and Kessie felt like the beginning of something venomous.
Hans grinned, licking his lips as he stared too long at Julian and Mae, they noticed and ignored him, but Mae shot him a look that could've peeled skin.
"Let's talk business before your assistants start fucking each other too." Mackessie snarled.
Goldie chuckled, smearing lipstick across her cheek with the back of her hand. "The test. That's why we're here, isn't it?"
Before Kessie could agree or decline, Greta took the lead, pride shimmering in her eyes. "She's adapting. More than I expected."
Goldie signaled Jael, who dragged forward the girl...Vanya, Archon's assigned mentee. The girl looked too clean for this villa, but there was something dangerous under the surface of her stillness.
Shante stared, a flicker passed across her face. Regret? Doubt? Suspicions? No... too layered to define... but, she agreed, she regrets killing the girl too early without exploring her first.
"Not keeping her for fun, are you?" Ace asked, buckling his belt.
"She's my responsibility." Goldie snapped.
Shante leaned back, her expression unreadable, she hid the shift in her expression.
"How is yours doing, Te?" Mackessie asked suddenly,with a poisonous grin like she's so aware of all of Shante's secrets.
A beat skipped in Shante's,just one beat, She looked up slowly before putting on a mysterious grin. "Dead, I suppose."
Everyone in the room froze, they blinked in surprise and fear was somewhat in their expression also.
Mae covered quickly. "She means emotionally."
"Of course..." Shante added with a thin smile,she so much loved their expression, it's a pity they don't have to know about it. "...emotionally dead."
Nikolai narrowed his eyes, something in him registered the shift, he watched her more carefully now.
Kolly's gaze snapped to Shante's wrist, then her eyes, she exchanged a glance with Greta. They suddenly became suspicious, especially Nikolai who seems to now be watching her every move.
"Now..." she said, crossing her legs, revealing more sin. "...if we're done playing therapists, can we actually get to the part where this meeting has a point?"
But the room didn't, Ace rose without warning, he has been boiling ever since he caught Vince staring at Shante's cleavage, but he didn't want to take any action, he tried maintaining his cool but his cool reached the peak when he caught Vince salivating on Shante's thighs.
The room wasn't moving on, not yet, not when Ace rose suddenly, not when Vince followed a heartbeat later, no words at all, no warning.
Just fists... brutal... explosive.
Ace slammed Vince against the wall, Vince responded with a headbutt, glass shattered, chairs toppled, no one knew the reason, no one cared ask, though many were curious.
Kolly screamed and rushed to pull Vince back, Greta quickly pulled Ace by the shoulder before he attacks Vince again.
Blood on lips, rage filled the air.
Shante watched the carnage with a detached interest, like she was studying lab rats in heat.
Hans leaned into Julian's ear. "All this because of your boss. Isn't that delicious?"
Julian didn't respond, but her eyes flicked once to Ace, then to Vince.
And she smiled.
A cold one.
Because if even Vince was breaking,he was also lusting after her Madam?
This night was just getting started.