Next Ruler

ARIEL

The Viper had to die in front of everyone. And everyone needed to know that I, Ariel Winter D'Angelo, killed him.

****

My heels made light sharp sounds on the ground, the mask perfectly fixed on my face. Many of the ladies here wore red gowns just like me, so it was meant to be easy to escape if things went south. But it was not with me. Things would never go south when I was involved.

My eyes scanned the crowd of people and rested on the man with expensive polished black suit that glistened under the dim light. He sat in the darkest corner, monitoring the movement of everyone, through his masked face, just like I watched him.

Delano.

He raised his cup of glass swiftly for a drink and I got the peek of a tattoo lining his lightly veined hand. My eyes were too sharp for me to miss such a detail. Hardened practice over the years, made me who I was.

His eyes fell on me and my lips swiftly curved into a smile, a sexy smile. One thing I knew about The Viper, he didn't....fancy women. So my move looked wrong, except it was everything right.

I pulled my legs in sharp stride towards him, feeling my ball gown squish under the movement.

"Would you mind if I asked you to dance with me?"

"I do." He said, without pulling his gaze from me.

"Then would you mind if I sit with you?" I asked, failing to pull my eyes away. His eyes, dark green hues, they caught mine.

"Do you mind drinking?" Voice like thick rich velvet. My eyes moved to the glass of drink he held in his hand and I calmly took a seat, my gown covering more than half of the remaining spacing.

He smirked lightly as he passed me a cup and poured a shot into it, watching me under his scrutinizing gaze. I don't drink before during a mission. But it seemed like the only thing the viper wanted tonight was to drink.

*Play, baby Ariel, Play.* I could almost hear Colt's mocking voice in my head as I emptied the entire glass in one go, a hiccup coming afterwards. I didn't do well with drinks. It wasn't something I could control.

Only benefit I had, was that it takes about an hour before I become tipsy.

"What's the name?" He looked at me funnily, like I had just done something crazy out of the world. I felt my cheeks begin to heat up. Red was staining them, an effect of the drink I'd just had. It was the drink. Emphasis.

"Winter."

Foolishly saying Ariel would be blowing my cover. Winter was my second name which was rarely used.

"Winter....what?" He asked again and I almost cursed. We are at a party for crying out loud, a masked party meant to hide your identity.

"Do I really have to tell you that to get you to dance with me?" I asked cunningly, bending my head to rest on my upraised hand.

"Everyone else is dancing. We are the only ones sitting."

"You agreed to drink." He said, darkly.

"I did." I spread out my arm and then raised one hand, "One shot, click!" I widened my lips to show my teeth.

Gosh, I was getting drunk. The faster I got rid of him, the better. I slapped my cheek lightly.

His eyes flickered somewhere behind me and he narrowed it lightly.

I looked behind me and my father stayed right there, up in that VIP quarters, a mask on his face as he watched us. He didn't even seem to show a reaction when The Viper kept his gaze on him.

"Do you know that man?" I asked, naturally. I didn't know him either....right? Right!

"Why?" Delano's eyes finally came back to me.

"He's looking at us and it sucks." I snapped.

His eyes gazed at mine, like he wanted to look past my mask, past my soul, but suddenly they dropped to my lips, and then crossed over to my neck.

Beet fvcking red!

"Fine, Winter. Let's dance."

I almost breathed out in relief, but I didn't. I smiled graciously as he took off his suit, leaving him in the historical white shirt which stretched over his biceps with suit trousers and jumper ropes.

What an historical masked party, forcing us to dress like this.

We mixed in with the dancer swiftly and started dancing to the slow music. Soon, the spotlight reached us. Courtesy of Saint D'Angelo, my father.

"They seem to concentrate on us now." I whispered, drunkenness slowly but surely getting the better part of me.

"It's a party. Should we make it worthwhile?" The Viper asked and I smirked lightly when the I heard the music go faster.

Our beats changed and soon we were into tango. My eyes widened.... He could dance, he could fvcking dance!

Our legs moved to the beat, our bodies dancing sensually, I didn't care who I was dancing with right now, The Viper. But I seriously needed to enjoy the dance to be able to get the perfect time, for my next perfect move.

Eyes were all on us, the spotlight seemed to shine brighter and brighter, leaving all attention on us. Everyone wanted to know the girl in red fiery dress with a golden mask and a smile on her red lips. Everyone wanted to know the guy with no expression on his lower face and a black mask covering his upper face who could dance too well to be a mafian.

Curiosity.

That's what is going to make them so invested. That's what is going to make me so announced.

I, Ariel Winter D'Angelo, the next ruler of the Empire. I'd finally gotten what I wanted. What I spent 12 years of my life targeting.

My hand went to my leg in that instant and I swiftly removed the knife which I had placed there in the restroom.

With the last beautiful and glorious turn, I pulled closer to The Viper's chest and sent the knife in.

"Gotcha." I whispered.