Shadow Of The Prey

CH6. The Wildcard's Wager.

The chips taken, the buy in costing one hundred thousand dollars—our table begins the most expensive Texas poker in the lounge.

"Madam Ruby has a straight flush. She wins." The dealer calls out.

Around the table edge are golden plates engraved with nicknames, each alias based off jewels, with the Ruby plate in front of me.

I give a victorious grin as the dealer pushes the chips in my corner.

"Again?" Miss. Blake sighs, sipping her daquiri.
"Luck seems to be on my side tonight." I smile, glancing at the other players at our table as they call it quits—bystanders clapping and praising my victory.
"I'll play again." Meredith smiles, opening her case.
"Meredith, you lost all the rounds, are you sure?" Miss. Hayashi giggles.
"Of course! Losing's a part of the fun." Meredith throws in her chips, closing her case with a dramatic flourish.
"But don't you always lose?" Miss. Blake laughs.
"Not always, I'm just on a losing streak." Meredith boasts, laughing with her friend.
"Miss. Vidius would you like to play again?" I ask.

She pauses, thinking to herself until she locks eyes with me. Her eyes read that she's intrigued, but knows that it's time to call it quits in the face of the victor.

"No, I'll sit this one out." She shakes her head, giggling slightly.
"Seems like it's just us then." I smile, locking eyes with Meredith.
"Hm, seems like it." She hums in a disappointed manner.

"May we join?" An intrigued smooth voice calls out from behind.

I turn, glancing to see four men dressed in luxurious suits. They all wear different masks, but the one mask engraved in my thoughts, belongs to the one I hoped would approach—the man with the navy-black colombina mask.
Wearing a black velvet suit and a dark navy vest, a black coat is draped on his shoulders as it accentuates his broad build. His hair slicked back, his eyes scanning over to analyze the ladies around the table.

Carlisle Lennox appears—falling into my plan.

The man who spoke, wears a tidy cream suit with a charcoal black turtleneck. His brown-green eyes with his outer corners turned downwards—almost like a puppy dog—peek out from under his white and gold pantalone mask.

"Of course, the more the merrier." I smile, gesturing with my hand to the empty seats.

The man who spoke sits in the space of Emerald beside me, followed by the rest of the men sitting in their seats. The crowd grows larger as ladies gather around to fawn over them.
Only three of the men throw in their chips, and I subtly glance at the target who languidly sits back in his chair—not engaging in the game.

"You seem fairly confident, Lady Ruby." The man in front of the Peridot nickname speaks, wearing a maroon and gold suit as he smiles through his gold zanni mask.
"Forgive me if I sound conceited, but with the way the games have been so far—I deserve to have such confidence." An airy chuckle escapes my lips—ever so lightly tapping my fingers upon the table.
Meredith giggles, fixing her posture.
"Ruby, you're going to jinx yourself." She teases—wiping the lipstick smudge off the edge of her glass with her thumb, before lifting the cocktail up to her lips for a sip.

Needing a way of communicating, Meredith was taught the signals.
Keeping my thumb firm against the surface, tapping the other four fingers lightly against a surface, followed by tapping only my index, middle, and ring finger indicates that the target is in our presence. Meredith wiping the lipstick mark on her glass means she understands.

"Lady Sapphire, you seem worried for your friend." The Emerald man speaks to Meredith.
"Of course I am. She has a winning streak, but I would hate for her to push her luck." Meredith coyly replies, savoring her cocktail.