Empire of Revenge

Serafina POV “Mom! Daddy” I murmured. A cold corpse lay in a pool of blood. “Ah!” I screamed. “No… no!” I gasped, jerking upright, my vision blurring as I tried to focus. My breathing turns uneven, sweat dampening my skin. I look down at the golden gown draped over my body. It appears flawless on my body compared to the memories tearing through my mind. My parents. The image won’t leave. “Madame, we have arrived,” the driver said in a soft French accent, stepping out of the vehicle. I swallowed hard as my eyes lifted. The Palais D’Or ballroom glowed under night skylines, masked guests drifting in and out like ghosts dressed in gold and silk. Caspian Ventura. That greedy old monster. I am glad his son, Zavier, isn’t here tonight, which makes killing Caspian Ventura easier than I planned. “Are you ready?” Kael’s voice came through my earpiece. “Yes,” I whispered. “Don’t be afraid. You’ve trained for this.” His words steadied me just enough. Putting on a masquerade mask as I climb the stairs to the banquet hall. My expression settles into something calm and controlled. A smile, just convincing enough. A security attendant stopped me. “Your name, miss?” “Amy Jefferson,” I said, giving my alias. He checked his tablet, frowning slightly. For a second, my pulse spiked. Did Kael get me in or not? “Oh, yes. You may enter.” I exhaled quietly and stepped inside. The ballroom glitters, bodies moving in a ballroom dance in perfect sync with the music, and soft laughter echoing around the room. The Ventura family is known for these lavish events. Untouchable and filled with the worst kind of people: corrupt politicians, bought law enforcement, and a network built on fear. The most dangerous mafia family in Europe. And tonight, I am walking straight into it. I pick up a drink and scan the room. I need to find Caspian. Fidgeting with my ring finger, which holds a laced poison dart hidden beneath the gemstone. One prick, just one, and it would be over in seconds. And if that failed, the blade hidden against my skin was ready. My grip tightens slightly on the glass as I move through the crowd. My gaze locked onto it. Like a predator finding its target. A signet ring caught the ballroom light; my focus locked in like a predator. “Do you see him?” Kael’s smooth voice came through. “Yes,” I whispered. “Be careful, Sera.” “Doubting me? You think I can’t take down that old hag?” I muttered. “I never doubt you,” he said. “You’re the best assassin in our academy.” I smiled faintly at the rare compliment. I just wished he knew how much it meant and how hard I tried to impress him. “Thank you,” I whispered. “Watch your surroundings,” he adds. “Too much security,” I murmured, adjusting the wig that was starting to irritate my scalp. “You can handle this. We’ve trained for it,” Kael said calmly, grounding me. The man who killed my parents. Smiling and drinking wine while people pay respect to him only annoys me further, showing this man enjoying his life. His life ends tonight. “You know Caspian’s a womanizer,” Kael reminded me. “You know what to do.” I took a steady breath. I moved with a sway of my hips, with a seductive smile on my lips, talking to a random man at the party, just drawing enough attention of my prey. Caspian’s eyes found me. He walked towards me with his predatory smile, thinking I was his prey. But he didn't know he was my prey tonight. “Miss,” his voice slid over me, making my skin crawl. “You’re beautiful. Care to dance?” “The pleasure’s mine,” I replied smoothly. I placed my hand in his, letting him lead me to the center of the ballroom. “What’s your name, young lady?” he asked. “Amy,” I whispered. As he spun me, I pressed the ring just enough. A tiny dart slid into the back of his hand. He hissed. Confusion flashed across his face. His gaze dropped to the thin line of blood forming. “You. What did you—” His words slurred. His grip weakens. He collapses to the floor, going limp. Shocked gasps and murmurs spread across the room. “Call the paramedics!” one of his guards shouted. I stepped back, playing the part of wide-eyed and startled before slipping into the crowd. “Well done, Assassin Raven,” Kael’s voice. My heart pounds in my chest. I take a side exit, the cool night air hitting my skin. Once I am far enough away, I pull off the wig, breathing easier. Taking off my mask and throwing it into a nearby dustbin. “Move quickly. We need to go,” Kael said. I broke into a run, heading toward the van's direction. Footsteps echoed behind me. “You stop!” I glanced back at a guard chasing me. Running on my heels. “I can’t make it to the van. I need another exit,” I said under my breath. “No. Stay where you are. I’m coming to you,” Kael replied. I turned into an alley. I collided with something hard, like a wall, and fell on my ass. “Uh.” I hissed. “You’re the one who killed my father.” An unfamiliar voice greets my ears. I snapped my head up. A sight of a handsome face and a broad frame. Tall. Dark blond hair. And those eyes. Ice blue, colder than snow, looked at me with an unforgiving gaze. Jump back on my feet quickly. I pulled the knife from my side-slit dress and lunged at him. He dodged too easily. Blocking another attack with ease. It irritated me. “What’s happening, Sera?” Kael’s voice came through. “I’m surrounded by Ventura men, and Zavier Ventura is here,” I whispered. I went at him again, this time landing a punch that made him stagger back a step. Pain shot through me as someone struck me from behind. I dropped to my knees. Before I could recover, he was there, towering over me. His shadow swallowed me whole as his cold blue eyes locked onto mine. “You’ve got sharp claws, don’t you, Serafina Montavaro?” He knows my name. How the hell does Ventura’s son know who I am? All the men have surrounded me, and I look at the way out, but my possibility of escape is slim. Is this it? After everything, is this how it ends? Without killing the man who helped his father murder my parents? Something hard hits the back of my head, making my vision blurry, and everything goes dark.