Red Hunter

‘This place isn't for someone like you, Milaya. You'll lose your fucking mind if you go inside.’ The warning echoed ominously in my mind.

I'd heard that statement many times from Pedro. Ten times tonight if I'd not lost counting, yet he couldn't kick me out of his Red House. Perhaps he was too afraid of what might happen if I reported him to my brother, Carlos. It wouldn't be a child’s play. Maybe he'd lose an eye or two for defying me. That would be a price to pay for defying the Mafia overlord's sister.

My eyes scrutinized the fitting room, searching for his figure. There were many exhibitionists and strippers, both males and females in the room. Their bodies were barely covered with the leather lingerie they were wearing.

If not because of the situation, I wouldn't have stepped a foot into the Red House knowing what being here would cost me—everything.

This place was where you called hell. A sweet hunting ground. All dirty work was done at a place like this, mobsters, gangsters, and serial killers prowled the Red House to hunt their prey. However, I'd come here willingly to get my revenge on those that killed my father. Every night I'd been plagued with the deadly nightmare of that event, it engulfed me into its darkness that I couldn't escape but I knew once I killed Ray, the nightmare would stop haunting me.

Soon Pedro entered, he clapped his hands to attract our attention. “Prance to the stage, now. The Party is about to begin!” He hollered in Russian.

Everyone began to depart the room. As I attempted to follow the last lady, he grabbed my hand forcibly and pinned me to the wall.

“You really don't want to do this, Sia.” He asserted, his voice laced with concern.

“I have to. I can't stop now that I already have a bloodstain on my hand. I have to finish what I started so the nightmare can also stop haunting me in my sleep.” I raised a hand to remove his grip around my wrists on the wall, then massaged them tenderly.

He wasn't looking entirely happy, he seemed to be worried about me but I didn't care. I knew I was walking into the land of the dead—hellhole. I might not come out alive or out but broken. “Stop this fucking nightmare, Sia. You killed three men that killed your father. That should be enough.”

“You said three men, there's another man left and I will kill him tonight. Have you forgotten what you taught me? Forgiveness is a sin.”

He whimpered with frustration, running hands on his face. “Carlos is going to kill me.”

“You won't die if you don't tell him I'm here. My brother must not know you let me in. Let's keep it a secret. I'm going inside now, I'll walk up to Ray and give him the best shot in his skull.”

“Good, you know the risk. Once you fucking step inside there's not going back, Milaya. You won't make it out alive without killing Ray. It's either you kill or get killed, that's the rules of this place.” He cautioned, his voice went cold like ice.

I nodded. I wasn't ready to die but I needed to do it if I needed to survive. After looking at Pedro's face one last time, it might be the last time I'd ever see him. I tiptoed on my six-inch heels, kissed him on the side cheek. “I’ll make sure not to stain your sacred floor with my blood.”

He didn't reply, so I sauntered close to the VIP stage to join other strippers. Each time I glimpsed over the VIP section, my eyes locked with his fiercest eyes.

An awful feeling was already tightening my inside as adrenaline pulsed through my veins. On a second thought, Ray wouldn't be easy like three other men I killed five days ago. Nevertheless I couldn't miss the opportunity after learning that he'd returned to the country. If not for the Red House, I would never get the chance to get close to his fingertip.

As the music began, I looked away from him, and then we emerged to the pole, soon my body undulating to the rhythm. I trailed a finger on my costume before gripping the pole behind my leg with the front hook, a shimmering ensemble of sequins and feathers lingerie, caught the glint as I wrapped myself around the pole with my knee on one side and my foot on the other. It created a sturdy base for my other foot to land on. With each movement, embodied the flow of the erotic music playing in the background. I ensured that my movements were fluid and expressive just like how I'd been taught.

Within a few minutes, I noticed the audience was transfixed, their eyes glued to my body as I spun and leaped across the poles. All of my sultry curves, alluring cleavages, and red-blonde hair were on display and I was glad it caught Ray's attention. His eyes were fixated on me. Just what I fucking want.

When I was certain I'd earned an approach, I walked away from the pole, stepped down from the stage, and crawled toward him where he was sitting on a black leather couch. His striking appearance was full of mighty, roaring elegance yet intimidating. He was probably in his late thirties like Carlos.

“Where do you think you're going?” One of his men, armed with guns, stepped over, impeding my way.

I wasn't intimidated by his fierce figure.

“Step away,” Ray ordered.

At once, the man moved out of my way and I elegantly walked over to his seat, kneeling in-between his legs with my hand on his thigh. “What do you want?” The roughness of his voice sent a cold sensation down my body. Saliva foamed in my mouth and I gulped anxiously. I didn't need a fortune teller to tell me that I'd get a bullet in my skull if I gave a wrong answer.

“You!”

“Me?” He smirked insidiously and stretched forth his hand to my face, then suddenly he grabbed my hair and pulled it backward forcibly. “Can you take all of me tonight?”

“With pleasure. Where do you like it? Down here or up here?” I tugged out my tongue before licking my upper lip seductively.

His hand was tightening against my hair. Ray groaned hoarsely. I lowered my gaze only to find out he already had an erection. “This is dangerous. My cock is as hard as steel.”

I tilted my head. “That sounds pleasant,” I whispered to his ear.

Ray leaned close to my face, he moved his face close to my neck and sniffed my scent before licking my neck. “I can bury myself in you, Doll face.”

It was the time. Slowly, I moved my hand underneath my lingerie to fetch my gun. Now that he was close was my chance, or I might never get the chance ever again. In a fraction of a moment I touched the part where I hid my gun, and I found out it was gone.

“Were you looking for this?” One of his men earlier raised my gun to a display. He smiled devilishly like a beast who just found its prey.

I attempted to retrieve a knife beneath the garter belt but someone hit my head with the gun from behind. I blacked out.

Perhaps some hours later, I could hear the echoes of their voice. I slowly opened my eyes and looked around the room as if lost. My hands were handcuffed and I was lying on the sand in a goddamn warehouse. Ray's territory.

“Is the entrance secured?”

“Yes, boss. The sniper and his men are ready to make a kill if there's any trespass.”

“Good. Look who's finally awake.” Ray snorted from where he was sitting on a leather couch. “I have to be careful because of your bastard brother. Here we are, he can't find this place. It's been three hours now.”

Fear pulsed through my blood, my heart throbbed terribly in my chest, and I felt the pain. It was terrifying. I never thought he'd be back up.

“There’s no party without a little drama. Let's talk over a drink, Black Fang.” He tossed me backward, leaning his back on the couch.

Black Fang? I remembered the three men I killed also called me by the same name but I didn't know what they meant. Perhaps it was because of my amnesia, that I couldn't relate to most of the things I heard about myself. Seven months ago after I recovered from a coma from a car crash, the first person who introduced himself to me was Carlos and he told me that was all I needed to know. But three months later I started having nightmares about how our father was shot on the night of my birthday. The sight of his blood was deadly. The nightmare always left a deep scar on me each time I woke up.

Carlos already warned me to lay low but I could stay idle forever. Knowing the men that killed my father were alive, they didn't deserve to live either. ‘I’m not strong enough,’

I clenched my fist.“How did you find out it's me?”

“I’ve been keeping track of you ever since you killed Marx. I set up tonight and I'm glad you came here. I also have a little surprise for you. Bring it in, Fella.”

He fired off two armed shots into the air. Someone pressed the red alert button on the room. All his men looked dangerous. There were more than twenty inside, there could be more outside. “I will kill you tonight.” I clenched my jaw.

“You’re capable of killing but not without your forgotten memory. You're a weakling now. I would have preferred a sweet torture but I know you're still dangerous than your look. I'll make it snappy. Bring it in.”

A lady brought champagne and two black glasses. She filled the glasses and extended one to me. With reluctance, I raised both hands and collected it but the sight of what I saw in the wineglass triggered me to drop the glass on the floor and it shattered. I gasped at the gruesome sight. Eyeballs!

My heart tightened in my chest, it was suffocating and I found it hard to breathe. “Pedro!”

He leaned over and stroked my chin with the back of his hand. “Bingo! What an expression on your face the one I long to see. Your last word, Sia!” Then he put a gun to my head.