Chapter 166: Cheater

Chapter 166: Cheater

Nero and Xenia gracefully climbed the stairs leading up to the mansion entrance. As they approached the main entrance they passed ornate columns supporting a three-story tall awning overhead. A muscular man in a suit welcomed them with a clipboard in hand, “Welcome to the Masquerade Ball, may I have your names.”

Nero grunted at the man and then in a rough voice said, “I am Nero. This is Sareena Night, my date.”

The man looked up and down the pages and flipped through his clipboard pages, “I am sorry sir. You and your date are not on the list for tonight. I will have to ask you to turn around and leave at once as this is a private party.”

Nero took an aggressive step forward and several hidden and armed Scorched Shadow members stepped out ready to attack if Nero made one more step out of line.

The tension was diffused though as a voice called out, “Nero! Welcome!” A beautiful and muscular woman had opened the front door, “What are you boys doing? This is BloodStar Immortal Nero. He doesn’t need to be on the list to attend this party. And what were you all going to do, huh? Nero would’ve made a mess of you all.”

The man with the clipboard bowed his head, “Please accept our apologies General Preston.” The man then turned to Nero, “Please accept my apologies as well, BloodStar Immortal Nero.”

Nero replied, “Apology accepted.”

Nero and Xenia walked into the ball following General Preston. General Preston turned around and looked directly at Xenia, “I’m sorry, I know you are Nero’s date. But what did you say your name was?”

Xenia began, “My name is Saree-“

General Preston cut her off, “Oh its of no consequence. Shoo shoo.” General Preston made a motion with her hand telling Xenia to get lost.

Xenia hesitated out of such unusual behavior towards her, and General Preston continued, “I said shoo girl. I have to discuss a few very private matters with Nero. Now get along you little thing. Drinks over that way, poker table over there, cigar bar up ahead, and dance floor over there.”The initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B11n.

General Preston then turned her back to Xenia ignoring her completely as she turned to Nero and took hold of his arm, “I am General Mallory Preston, the 3rd General of Scorched Shadow.”

Xenia communicated to Nero via bloodbending as she entered his thoughts, “I’ll be listening in. Just tell me when you need me.”

All Nero had to do was think to respond, “Will do. Enjoy yourself, my empress.”

An announcer suddenly came on overhead, “There is still one spot remaining for the high-roller sit-n-go no-limit Texas hold ‘em game. Who will be our last entrant. Buy-in is only $10 million!”

Xenia thought to herself, “My funds have been severely limited with Ramses and Zara appropriating my funds back to the BloodStar Empire after my ‘death’. This could be an opportunity to shore things up.”

She then communicated with Nero, “How much is in your private account?”

Nero responded, “$10.7 million.”

Seeing as Xenia had him covered with 51% of the chips at the start of the hand, she had all but won. All she needed to do was call him down.

She gave out a huge sigh and leaned back in her chair with a smirk.

By now, a very large crowd had gathered around the roped off table, and everyone was dead silent as this huge hand played out.

Xenia then stood from her chair and stood behind it acting as if this were an extremely tough decision. The crowd couldn’t help but admire her pristine body and stylish outfit as she did so. The men in the room, and even many women, gawked at her cleavage, curves, and smile wondering who the woman behind the mask, Sareena Night, was.

She then smiled at Ken and said, “I don’t think you have it. I call.”

Ken groaned and flipped over his hand showing 10 high. Xenia then flipped her cards over and threw them out into the middle of the table and said, “Jack high. It looks like I win.”

She smiled in Ken’s direction, and he went into a rage, “Jack high!!!??? JACK HIGH?!!” He stood up and began to pace by his chair, “No one would make that call for $90 million! YOU CHEATING BITCH!”

He pointed his finger at her and continued to yell, “Someone is helping you! You’ve made outrageous calls all game long. You are CHEATING!”

Ken Spangler looked to the dealer, “I demand General Preston review the security footage. This is outrageous.”

He then looked back to Xenia, “Do you know who I am, Miss Sareena Night?! I am a high-ranking member of Scorched Shadow. If we find out you have cheated us here tonight, you are a dead woman!”

Xenia stood silent smiling at him all through his rage which only angered him more and more. She then finally responded, “My my. Someone is a sore loser.”

Ken Spangler smiled back at her. Xenia heard a commotion behind her and suddenly read a loud thought from Nero, “General Preston is fast approaching and does not appear to be in support of you. At all. Please, no matter what happens, let it pass.”

Xenia turned just in time to catch a forceful slap from General Mallory Preston sending her straight to the ground with a bloodied lip. General Preston was a physically strong woman and talented ki user. Xenia was suppressing her ki; however, she wish she hadn’t been as Mallory’s slap packed a punch.

Xenia winced on the ground with a bloodied lip and looked up at General Preston who yelled, “Stay down you insolent bitch! No one comes into my manor and humiliates my branch of Scorched Shadow as you have tonight. If Colonel Spangler says you cheated, then you cheated. End of story.”

She huffed and puffed, “And out of respect for Nero, I am not going to kill you.”

Xenia immediately sent a thought to Nero, “Get her back to Bella Domina, tonight, by any means necessary. Or I will!”

Nero simply nodded to her and threw her a handkerchief, “Miss Night. Please find your own way home tonight. I never want to see you again.” He then turned to General Preston, “I hate to ruin such a lovely night with a beautiful woman such as yourself. Let’s forget about my distasteful date. Might you be interested in continuing our conversation about business back at Bella Domina? Have you seen it? It’s a modern wonder of the world.”

Mallory looked to Nero, “Nero, you are such a charmer. Why I’d just love to.”