"Fifty Royal - Shades - Of
Blood."
———
Angelique Arcane was a crimson rose in eternal bloom. But alas, the rose was hued crimson by the blood splattered on it. Those thorns had peirced more hearts than she could ever count, evincing that her beauty was indeed, lethal. And she made sure that the world never dares forget it. Letting her lips be painted a deep shade of red, almost all the time and walking with a slight sway in her hips. But it was all for show. Angelique wasn't made of porcelain pleasantries. It was all a facade to conceal the scars underneath, to veil her dirty secret. She was a failure wrapped in Chanel.
Who would have surmised? A single mistake of her could influence so many. Ravaging their lives. But of course. Money is everything. If you can bury secrets with money, what the fuck is a human?
It was yet another party night where Angelique had veiled her scars and eased out of her Ferrari when the gelid breeze trickling through her red silken Prada top's deep v-neckline, making her briefly contemplate grabbing her mink coat. She dusted her black skinny jeans and touched up the waterfall of her silky hair tumbling down her back.
She'd unsurprisingly found paparazzi outside the gates. After all, Evelyn Ambrose was throwing a party.
She strutted right into the mansion, the music blaring around the house pulsating her eardrums as lights coruscat across her rather exotic features. A predacious aura enveloping her, making half the crowd turn to gape at the beauty since the other half were already inebriated.
Angelique's honey tinted irises filled with liquid amusement as she fluttered her thick eyelashes, letting them brush against her high cheekbones whilst attempting on suppressing a scoff at the blatant desire. Guys and girls shot her sultry looks, falling to her feet like dominos, enduring obvious rejection when she spurned them. The slight sway to her hips was traced by their lustful gawping, corroborating that the attention drawn was far more than deemed appropriate.
To the far end, she spotted her cousin with her boyfriend. Jace's gauzy eyes crinkled at the edges as he and Lauren chortled at something. Beside him, Lauren stood, a rose gold dress from some american designer tightly draped over her curves, clinging to her butterscotch skin and barely reaching her mid thigh. She had paired it with Miu Miu high heeled sandals.
But her smile was what caught Angelique's attention. It was the prettiest thing she'd seen in a while, for it extended to her brown eyes and deep into her soft soul. She was happy for her sister.
Angelique made her way over to them, a bonafide smile playing on her lips as she gave each one, a quick embrace. Jace excused himself and the girls go foraging for some beverages, on the way, discerning the platinum blonde twins quarrelling in dampened voices.
Grabbing their respective drinks, they get seated on the plush cream pigmented couch. Angelique folding her plump lips to a side, sipping her bubbling champagne before pulling back to send a satisfied smirk to the lipstick smear left around the brink.
A lipstick stain is a mark of femininity and sensuality. It defined Angelique to a certain extent.
They were conversing randomly when Evelyn stormed over to them, snatching the coke from Lauren's hand who was perched closer and made herself comfortable whilst grumbling under her breath "I can't believe this guy."
"Who?" Lauren shot her a rather amused look as she crossed her left leg over her right one making her dress slip scandalously further up to show off her tanned thighs.
"Ed." Her lips curled into sneer before she took a sip, oceanic eyes glaring daggers at Edward who had just approached them, standing alongside her, oblivious to his sister's fury. He greeted the other two with an adorable smile which was quickly obliterated when his eyes met Evelyn's "Stop pretending like you are so nice."
"Come on, Evelyn," He flung an arm across Evelyn's shoulder, hauling her closer causing her to mistakenly splatter some of glass' content on the sumptuous couch with a muffled splosh "You know I don't pretend to be anything I'm not.... except for sober. I've pretended to be sober a few times." He shrugged negligently making Angelique and Lauren titter.
"Ed!" Evelyn gasped abruptly, her eyes widened and lips cleaved as she shot her brother a fearful look. Edward's mouth turned down into a scowl as he covered his ear in irritation, making Evelyn wack the back of his head "Look at the couch!"
"Mother of Jesus!" Edward slapped his forehead before turning to her, his eyes were frantic as he adjured "Please don't tell mom."
"Act your age." Evelyn said, wresting herself from his grasp and quaffed a sizable sip from Lauren's ex-drink, her lips tipped down.
"And there she goes completely neglecting the fact that I've never been this old! How am I supposed to know?" He upreared his pale hands in the air, exasperation evident in his cool blue orbs.
Meanwhile Lauren and Angelique relished the dissension. Evelyn sent them a look, placing a hand on her hip before twisting back to her twin and thinning her icy blue eyes in admonition.
"Get. Lost."
"Okay... but where is Jace?"
"Oh," Lauren said, her thin eyebrow vaguely uplifted "He's by t-"
"Ed... Get. Lost... Now." Evelyn glowered at him and his shoulders crumpled, a pout crystallizing his lips.
"Just don't tell mom anything." He walked away with an over dramatically sullen expression.
Poor boy.
"Chill Evelyn," Lauren touched her lips a manicured hand while giggling, her eyes glittering with hilarity "What happened?"
"He ate all the Vosges chocolates which I was saving for the night. Now I'll have to wait till tomorrow when I get more. Damn, I hate waiting." Evelyn stood, adjusting the flimsy straps of her Vera Wang silk camisole and walked away.
"Looks like your drink's gone."
"Leave that. She hates waiting but she's still waiting for Alexander," she scoffed, gazing down at her nails "You think she's starting like Charles?"
"Obviously." Angelique said, coiling and fidgeting with the diamond crown dangling from her bracelet around her finger as she scanned the dance floor "Don't know why she won't just accept it, though."
"Maybe she's trying to convince herself or maybe her thoughts are messed up." Lauren shrugged her shoulders, a small frown tugging on her lips as she locked her eyes with her cousin's "Maybe she's starting to fall in love with Charles?"
"Why do you think that?"
"He is her type... mature and practical type of guy."
"I don't know....." Angelique said, swirling the contents of her champagne before necking it and licking her lips in a swift flow.
"Do elaborate."
"I do think she likes him. Maybe it's an infatuation... and as far as I know Charlie," a sigh absconds her lips and she stared at the empty glass clasped in her bandaged hand "Evelyn isn't exactly his type. But I have a feeling that he fancies her. Kinda."
Evelyn reversed to them, her arm looped with another guy's causing Angelique and Lauren to share a glance.
"Look Angel, I got you a date." She grinned before blowing a kiss over her shoulder and disappearing.
Is this girl bipolar?
The girls shot each other another look before finally attending the guy. Angelique uncoiled the tendrils of her hair from her finger and breathed, concluding that he was hot enough.
"Hey." She extended a hand, sending him a smile "Angelique."
I hate social interactions...
"Who doesn't know?" He grinned, wrapped his hand around hers and placing a quick kiss on her knuckles "Wade."
"Laters, Angel." Lauren stood up, adjusting her rose gold dress and departing to find her boyfriend as Angelique eyes locked on a certain couple on the extreme corner.
As if sensing the gaze, Asher's eyes opened to lock straight at her.
He pulled the girl in front of him closer, his hands into her hair as he devoured her lips but his gaze was latched on her.
Angelique narrowed her eyes at him, is he challenging me?
She perceived a hand winding itself around hers and turned to concede Wade. In contrast to him, who had his eyes solely focused on her, she only then apprehended he was meant to be her date.
"Wanna dance with me?" He shouted over the pandemonium.
"Sure." Angelique looked at the guy through her dark lashes, lips quirked up at a corner and amber eyes dripping liquid fire.
And just like that... everyone knew he was doomed and could not be rescued.
———
They had devoted a fair amount of time on the dance floor when Angelique tugged him down to press her lips against his ear and intuit the guy inhale deeply.
"Let's go up?" Her lips moved on the shell of his ear to vocalize the words, her palms pressed against his exceedingly expensive shirt. Without giving him a chance to reciprocate, she withdrew, starting towards the stairs. Of course he chased her. They all do.
Reaching the top most floor, Angeline appreciated the muffled sound.
"What happened to your hand?" He said, attempting to elicit Angelique's gaze on her palm which had a white gauze bandage tightly wrapped around it.
"Glass."
"Oh. Does it hurt?"
He conjectured those minuscule glasses could impair Angelique Arcane?
Oh honey, I don't pain, Angelique suppressed a scoff and sent him a plastic smile.
"It does. But I'm trying to ignore it." Her Dior clad lips parted, only to let out a lie wrapped in velvet.
"Hmm." The clicking of her Alexander McQueen stiletto heels against the marble floors was the only other noise barring the subdued music. His head turned to admire at her side profile, shooting a huge goofy smile with awe filled in his eyes "You look beautiful."
Beautiful, she thought suppressing a scoff, is a lazy lousy word to describe Angelique Arcane.
"Thank you." She said though, not sparing him a glance because she knew. And where's the satisfaction in hearing something you're obviously finer than?
Plenty of men had glorified her better.
Sudden footsteps made them turn around to witness Asher making out with some brunette. Wildly. Whilst progressing to the nearest room. Her pale hands travelled to his silky black hair causing him to cavalierly pull away.
"Don't." His barely swollen lips pursed in slight annoyance before his guarded orbs flitted towards the other couple. And Angelique mentally cursed because he was undeniably hot. She concluded Wade absolutely nothing. Just some other guy who goes unnoticed.
Asher's stormy eyes scudded across her countenance. She verily was a fallen angel, right from her slightly disheveled roasted coffee bean colored hair to her lipstick which was a seductive shade of intoxicating red wine to her titillating silk top that left much to imagination.
He loved coffee.
Then his gaze latched back to the girl who was breathless and stumbling towards himself.
"Sorry," she said, almost tripping in her skyhigh heels before her palms pressed against the width of his shoulders for support. Her face was flushed, fuchsia lipstick smudged and her eyes beseeching, still breathless "Won't happen again."
He stood wordlessly, hands tucked in his pockets, looking disinterested... almost bored. She brought her lips up to his, pressing a long intimate kiss. He didn't pull away but neither did he kiss her back.
He dead? Angelique had to wonder as she folded her arms around herself, staring at the dark haired Devil.
"Sorry! I said it won't happen again!" She whined, pouting up at him while trying to plunge away her hair which were adhering to her face.
"Better keep that in mind." He gripped her hips and their lips seal once more in another steamy kiss as he led her to the room.
Angelique rolled her eyes and twisted her neck back to Wade, her straight hair shuffling at the movement as she untangled her slim arms from around herself.
Only when her gaze met his, did she discern the shift in atmosphere. He shuffled a step closer to her. And her lips tipped up in a slight smirk.
He shouldn't get so close, Angelique wasn't as quiet as she seemed. She was a fierce storm of hellfire. None would be able to survive a brush of her lips.
Because a brush of her lips was all it took for them to get down on their knees infront of her and idolize her. Worship her.
He leaned in and she let her fingers lace the back of his neck as he pinned her to the wall. Their lips moving in sync. His arms encompassed her waist to pull her closer, like he couldn't get enough of her. Well, nobody ever could.
Angelique Arcane was the kind of high, only a deep soul could get stoned to.
But it was difficult to pique her interest. She wasn't easily impressed.
Angelique pulled back, breathing a satisfied smile at Wade who looked high. His eyes were misty, lips parted as he looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the whole world.
She, in fact, was.
"Oh lord, you're fucking goddess."
Her eyebrows vaguely lifted in mild amusement as she smothered the material on his shoulders with the soft palms of her hands to pull out wrinkles, finally pressing them flat against the place right over his heart, feeling it slam against his ribcage with all its might.
Too bad she wasn't in the mood tonight.
"I would have loved to continue this," Angelique lied, glossy as ever while disentangling herself from Wade who seemed narcotized "But unfortunately I need to be somewhere else."
"W-what? Where are you going? Did I do something wrong?"
She laughed. A beautiful sound lightly bouncing off the walls of the deserted corridors, mingling with the muffled songs.
"Nothing, doll. I just don't feel like it." She shrugged.
"But will I see you again?"
She pecked his lips once before patted his cheek twice and sauntering away without so much as a reverse glance, tossing hair strands from her shoulder. She pulled out her phone, it was one in the morning. Entering a room, touching up her make up and buying some time for herself before stepping out and making her way to the stairs.
Slow voice of a door being pulled made her come to a halt in front of a certain door which had opened, exhibiting Asher in his glory. Her eyes fortuitously flickered behind him to see a rejected green Alexander Wang dress on the ceramic tiled floor.
She fastened her attention back at Asher who silently continued his perusal of herself, a packet of black Malbro cigarettes gripped in his hand. Cigarettes after sex. He proffered her, one in his mouth already as he gazed her warily.
"Such a gentleman." Angelique rolled her amber eyes at his chariness before glancing behind him and clasping the cigarette between two of her long, elegant fingers.
"Just got some time today." He shrugged his broad shoulders and guiding the packet in his pocket, swapping it with his lighter. The lighter that burnt her picture. She shook off the thought. Of course she'll satisfy her vengeance. All in good time.
"Aren't you perfectly reasonable?" She rolled her eyes yet again, squidging a scowl.
"Who's explaining?" He scoffed, igniting their cancer sticks and they twisted towards Wade who looked like a lost puppy. He was staring at the ceiling with his eyebrows stitched together, deep in thought.
Angelique cringed, So fucking pathetic.
"Heartbreaking, really." He mocked engendering her to crush an eyeroll whilst staring at him with an elevated eyebrow as they wandered around. The french twist to his accent made her heart flutter as she puffed out the smoke, admiring the choking wisps of gray swirl around in mild twirls from the smoldering end.
Definitely tastes better than the guy, A smirk warped her bold, gossamer lips into a smirk.
The chiming of Asher's phone brought her out of the lilliputian trance to watch him press it to his ear.
"Speak." Was his laconic acknowledgment. Inhaling another longer drag, he abandoned the cigarette and crushed it with the sole of his Jordans before parting his enticing lips "2 hours. And this is where you get us?"
His tone was vexed, his sharp jaw tightened, displaying emotions for the first time and Angelique was certain. Certain about riposting sarcastically at him but she honestly didn't want more trouble from the guy. She'd simply take her revenge in some days and get over with him.
So she ditched him making her way down, her heels clicking against the stairs as stopped by a very drunk Edward at the bottom.
"Hey, Blevine and Blevery's sister." His words were slurred, blue eyes almost shutting in narcosis as he attempted to grin at her.
"Hey, Evelyn's brother." She tossed him a patently amused smile, her pearly teeth glimmering. She took another drag and resumed her way to the front door.
"You going?! The party just started!" Edward stopped her with his palm pressed on her shoulder as he gazed at her in confusion.
"I know. Just taking a walk outside. Join me?" Angelique shook her head faintly, her brunette hair messing up furthermore as Edward extracted his hand.
"Umm..." He pondered for a little while before bestowing her with an endearing grin playing on his lips "If I stay here I'll get a worse hangover tomorrow morning. So I think I can babysit you."
"Yeah right. You will babysit me." She frivolously rolled her eyes at him, trying to tame her now enmeshed hair by smothering her fingers through them, untwining the knots.
The lights on the backside were dim with muffled voices of the songs played in. The ambiance made her feel serene. It wasn't silent.
They were only roaming around when Asher's chocolaty voice made her snap her head in his direction.