Charming Menace

chapter 2

When you feel my heat, look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
Don't get too close, it's dark inside
It's where my demons hide

- demons, imagine dragons

 .

Arnav removed his spectacles.
His eyes rarely showed any emotions, but today was different. 
Ro noticed the subtle smile on his lips as he stared at the woman.
"You look smitten.", She said, a little astonished.
"I am amused.", He whispered as he straightened up, "How can a woman be like this? Everyone wants to fit in, be like the crowd.. but she. She is still the same. No need to fit into the world's likes. Just herself.", He said softly.

"You've met her after the Business Meet too, haven't you?", Ro asked thoughtfully.
Arnav's phone buzzed.
He immediately wore back his spectacles and picked the call.

His mentor, it was.
"The Vibhishan is found.", The man said in a gruff, yet powerful voice.
"Who?"
"You must come and see yourself.", The man replied and hung up.

Very often Arnav wished to forget he had another life. A life beyond business meetings and club nights.
"I've got to go. Tell her to wait.", He said.
"I will tell William. I am joining you.", Rohini replied. 
Arnav nodded as he walked down the flight of stairs to the dance floor, to leave. Rohini headed out first.

Arnav drew in a deep breath, his eyes almost involuntarily searched for the woman in saree.
And there, he found her.
Constantly adjusting her saree, visibly agitated in the over enthusiastic crowd.
He had met her before.
And she had looked the exact same - except the eyes. The eyes that now looked numb, with the pain of the world, had been carefree in love.
He was no one sided lover. Love had left him the moment he had touched guns.
She amused him. There was something distinctly different about her.
He hated it, yet he felt drawn, almost obsessed.

He pulled out his black shades from inside his suit. Going to the "Old Kingdom" without them would be bad for his powerful image.
He wore them.
Even with the tinge of black, when his gaze fell on her, her white saree seemed to gleam.
As if the devil was watching an angel's glowing white aura through the lens of his darkness.

He inhaled deeply, as he finally tore his gaze off her.
As he walked out of the club, he left Arnav behind.
Now he was not the billionaire who liked music and wine - he was the King of the Underworld. The Mafia that the world's police sought, yet had no trace of.
His Rolls Royce drove right before him. 

There was a newspaper store right beside the Club. 
There were magazines that hung.
His gaze fell on the headlines cover of one.

The background was dark with the hooded image of a man, face indistinct, and the Heading,

"WHO IS RAVAN?
The Underworld King Sought By The World"

.

Ravan was a clever manipulation of Arnav's name.
Arnav had been a fan of Harry Potter for years, and when he had found the opportunity to name himself, he had chosen to take the Voldemort route.
A R N A V   - simply rearranged as  -
R A V A N

His mentor had been quite impressed.
As the car finally halted before the abandoned mansion in the outskirts of the City, he got off.
Ro jogged in first.
The transition from Arnav to Ravan had taken a lot from him.
He still remembered himself denying the throne of power, seeking only peace, living a happy carefree life.
And then it had happened.