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 guests at our table calling it quits, and bystanders clapping at my victory.
"I'll play again." Meredith smiles.
"Meredith, you lost all the rounds, are you sure?" Miss. Hayashi giggles.
"Of course. Losing's apart of the fun." Meredith throws in her chips.
"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."

"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 mind, belongs to the one I hoped would come.
The navy-black colombina mask, paired with a black velvet suit accented with a dark navy vest, and a black coat draped on his shoulders. His hair slicked back, and his eyes scanning over the ladies around the table.

Carlisle Lennox finally shows himself.

The man who spoke, wearing a tidied cream suit with a charcoal black turtleneck. His brown-green eyes, the ends turned downwards—almost like a puppy dog—under his white and gold pantalone mask.

"Of course, the more the merrier." I smile.

The man sits in the space of Emerald beside me, followed by the rest of the men sitting in their seats. The crowd grows more as ladies gather around them.
Only three of the men throw in chips, and I glance at the target who simply watches.

"You seem fairly confident, Lady Ruby." The man in front of the Peridot nickname, wears a maroon and gold suit, smiling through his gold zanni mask.
"Forgive me if I sound too conceited, but with the way the games have been so far, I think 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 her glass with her thumb, before taking a sip.

Needing a way of communicating, I taught Meredith signals.
Tapping my 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. She has a winning streak, but I would hate for her to ruin her luck."
The dealer deals the cards, setting the game up.
"Well, here's to seeing who luck is with tonight." The man sitting in Opal smiles, lifting his drink to signal a cheers.

"Four of a kind, Lady Ruby wins." The dealer announces, pushing the chips my direction.
"Seems luck is still with you." Sir Peridot chuckles, stretching his neck.
"It seems so." I giggle, placing the chips back into the case, "This has been such an entertaining game gentlemen, but I worry I'm testing Lady Luck's generosity."