Deep Down (UNEDITED)

Little Snake

P.O.V THIRD PERSON

The amber liquid swirled in the glass, ice cubes tinkling. The view from the top floor of Davrov Corporations stretched across all of Athens, which was shrouded in the darkness of night. Thousands of lights made a spectacle of light rise in the streets.

Behind the glass, a man in a suit stood waiting for the news that would make his whole evening better, perhaps his whole life. Leather soles hitting the marble floor echoed down the hallway, announcing the arrival of the person he was waiting for. languidly, the man looked over his shoulder.

"The private jet is about to leave, Vladimir." Vladimir Davrov finally turned and looked straight into two heavenly golden eyes like his own. Nicholas-his best friend and uncle-had an envelope in his hands, which he laid with great care on the oak desk. Vladimir nodded briefly before taking another sip of his whiskey.

After his so-called "date" with Amara, he had dropped her off at the small cottage she and her friend were renting and had driven straight to his office in Athens. Nikolai had found something.

"Good, do what you have to do" Vladimir replied coolly. Nicholas nodded and was already about to walk out the door, but changed his mind just before he left the silently shrouded room.

Vladimir frowned as his uncle caught him in his gaze.

"You know I hate it when you don't say things," Vladimir muttered as he walked with slow steps toward the desk. "So say what's on that mind of yours." Nicholas grinned his white teeth bare and leaned against the doorframe, his arms folded across each other.

"It's nothing important but..." Nicholas took a deep breath before continuing "you are playing a dangerous game without so much as a glance at the game rules."

Vladimir shook his head as he took a seat in the black leather chair behind the desk.

"Rules of the game aren't necessary if you intend to cheat anyway" Nicholas got the jitters from the golden brown eyes that gave him an ominous look.

"Don't make his ordeal too long." Nicholas tried, but Vladimir was already opening the envelope. Vladimir looked up briefly at the black-haired man leaning against the doorframe and grinned mockingly.

"In my opinion, Niko you don't quite understand what I'm up to," Vladimir nonchalantly leaned back in his chair, like a predator assessing his prey.

"After all, his agony is never going to end." Vladimir bit him, with a brief gesture waving for Nikolai to leave the room. Nicholas, hardly recognizing his friend, left the room sighing. Whoever Vladimir was after, he could fear for his life and everything he loved.

Vladimir sat leaning forward with the sheet of paper in his hands. The crackling of the fireplace sounded softly in the background. He loved the orange glow the fireplace cast over the room. Once a pair of eyes had reminded him of the fire that now burned in the fireplace, wild and indomitable.

The paper resting in Vladimir's hands made the corners of his mouth curl up. The man's name was written in jaunty letters at the top of the sheet. "Aiden Ramirez" The new leader of the Vipers was back in the country.

Vladimir took a large sip of his whiskey, enjoying the burning sensation in his throat. His plan was in motion and there was no turning back. Not for him, not for the person he was chasing. His twisted little game could finally begin, with Amara as his protagonist. Ignorant, naive and manipulative, his favorite combination.

But was he really in control of Amara?

P.O.V AMARA

I wiggled uncomfortably in the slightly too cramped seat. Max was sitting on my right greedily munching his popcorn, his eyes fixed on the TV that had "The scream" on it. I hated horror, but Max refused to watch any other movie. To my left sat Aiden, with Rosaline almost on his lap.

Aiden looked nearly as uncomfortable as I did when Rosaline tried to lay her head on his lap. Carefully he shifted a little so that Rosaline's head just missed his leg. I laughed softly on the inside.

After I had come home tired from my "derective date "with Vladimir -who hadn't said a word on the way back- Rosaline had suggested a movie night. At first I wanted to say no, but Rosaline had already invited Aiden (much to Max's annoyance) so I had no choice but to accept.

The living room was as dark as night and gave me the creeps. The slightest sound made my heart beat faster, watching a horror movie in the night was not for me. My attention was not really on the movie, it was Matthew's words that haunted my mind.

Max seemed to have noticed my absence when he asked with his mouth full of popcorn, "Everything okay, Amara?"

Removed from my trance, I was startled to find myself looking straight into Max's Blue eyes. I sighed and let my head fall back a little against the soft banister of the couch.

"I- uh" I stammered before I could come up with a good lie "I don't do horror movies very well." Max narrowed his eyes to slits. At first I thought he didn't believe me before he turned his full attention back to his pop corn. Relieved, I took a breath.

"We can put on another movie," Max suggested "right Rosie?" Max looked over Aiden to Rosaline who had already drifted off and was snoring softly, her mouth half open. Max raised his eyes and sighed.

"Guys, you really don't need to put on a new movie because I'm a scaredy cat" I laughed, but that laugh died away. The image of Mom on the kitchen floor raced by unexpectedly as the bleary-eyed image on the TV and the screaming came on. I thought I could handle it, but when I just couldn't get the image to go away I decided I needed to get out of here.

"I think I'll go get some air," I muttered. Without waiting for a response, I lifted myself up from the seat and almost staggered out to the balcony.

The tiles felt cold against my bare feet, I breathed in and out deeply several times. Everything will be all right, Amara. It's not real I repeated in my head. Leaning my forearms against the railing of the balcony I allowed myself to close my eyes and get my thoughts in order. Or at least I tried to.

A melodious tune disturbed the silence of the night, a tune I knew all too well. The ringtone of the cell phone which Vladimir had given me.

Doubly, I took the thing out of my pocket and looked at the blue illuminated screen.

"Unknown number" my conscience urged me not to answer, but my unconscious was already pushing my trembling thumb toward the green button that would answer the call.

"Hello?" I tried. My voice was shaky, whether it was from the cold or the flashback I didn't know. The sound of clothing rustling sounded through the microphone followed by a soft panting. It remained silent and I was already planning to resign until the other end of the line finally answered.

"Didn't anyone teach you not to answer when an unknown number calls you?" A deep chuckle echoed through the phone that gave my whole body the jitters. I didn't recognize the voice. In fact, the voice was unnaturally deep, as if it were distorted.

"Are you saying I got a bad education?" I said a little too quickly, trying to control my breathing.

"I'm not saying anything little snake." I remained silent. Little snake? What was I doing? I didn't know this person, maybe it was a stalker or I don't know what. If Vladimir found out I was having a conversation with a total stranger over the phone I would have been a dead man.

"What do you want?" I tried then. A soft snort sounded through the phone.

"I want-" it remained silent. I walked uncomfortably back and forth across the balcony as I bit my lip. "That you stop bringing up the past." I frowned before I realized what he meant.

"Is this a threat?" I gathered all my courage to continue. "Because if it is know that I am not afraid of someone hiding behind a screen." The loud chuckling sounded through the line again.

"This is not a threat, think of it as a warning." he clicked his tongue "You've spoken to Matthew, haven't you? Well I guess he can't say much more." I held my breath. What had he done to Matthew?

"What did you do?" My tone became more assertive and my voice louder, my knuckles turning white around the phon. The sputtering laugh that escaped the person on the other end of the line was the last straw. "W-what did you do?" I tried again.

"The necessary." his voice sounded dryly "so I'll say it one more time, stay on your own territory, little snake" Before I had a chance to ask further a long shrill tone sounded.

He had ended the call.