The Untamed: Game of Hearts: Chapters 1–5

"You’re up next, lady! You just started working here, and you’re already showing attitude?! No slacking at work!!!"

Raine was forced out of her nap by the loud voice of the club’s manager. She straightened and stretched her body with a yawn, shaking her head as she retouched her make-up before taking the transparent veil to cover her face.

When the woman backstage finally gave her the cue, Raine stepped forward. She readied herself for one hell of a performance tonight. Already, she could hear the loud shouts of the men outside anxiously waiting for the main event of the night. Or, more like the main course for them to drool over!

"Do well!" the woman whispered as she helped her cover her face with the veil.

Raine only rolled her eyes under the veil and walked to the stage.

"Yeah!!! That’s more like it!"

The crowd’s cheers and whistles resonated in every corner inside the famous strip club of Country V. When the spotlight in the darkroom turned on, the beam of light hit the stage, highlighting an incredibly alluring woman wearing a wedding dress with a veil over her face.

The crowd filled with mostly men felt the thrill and excitement spread throughout their veins. Those who had never witnessed a stripper wearing a wedding gown perform in that club, especially, felt the impact all the more intensely. Just the red lipstick and her flirtatious smile behind the transparent veil alone were enough to make their blood boil.

The Haven. That was the name of the strip club. Famous both to humans and supernatural creatures disguised as humans alike, the club was trendy and known for its splendid and superb performers.

The club was very strict when it came to hiring performers. One must meet their criteria in all aspects in order to get hired. Only those who were truly beautiful, sexy from head to toe with perfect dancing skills could even pass the test. They must also have an engaging stage presence. But above all else, they must know how to please people, as VIP customers could approach them for a personal show in one of the club’s private rooms.

It was difficult for a normal person to enter The Haven because only members were allowed. They had a strict security team to prevent outsiders from entering. The only exception to that rule was if an existing member vouched for the non-member.

Raine looked at the crowd and began seductively swaying her hips at the tune of the music. Her blonde wig was loosely styled, making her look like she had just gotten out of bed. It was such a sexy and natural look that an overly excited man among the crowd yelled impatiently, "Let me take that damn dress off, you baby!"

Raine put her index finger on her lips as she whispered, "Shhhh, later, baby."

With a wink she began to strip a layer of her wedding dress, revealing her long legs under the skirt. The act had the desired effect of riling up the crowd.

"Hell yeah!!!"

More cheers filled the room as the crowd ogled at her beauty like she was a delectable dessert they couldn’t wait to devour. Raine walked with slow, light steps as she danced provocatively, matching her steps to the beat of the music.

She touched her body as she glided over the stage, gently caressing her hips and thighs as though she was performing for everyone. However, her eyes were fixed on one particular spot. She stared at her target among the crowd, making sure she maintained eye contact with him. Threading her fingers into her hair and flipping it, she then moved her hands along her body as she stripped another layer of the dress, revealing her belly button and perfectly curvy sides.

"Give us more! That’s it, baby!" came the shouts from the elite men and those disguised as humans alike. "Wag that nice bouncy butt!!! Oh, take it all off already!"

’These impatient a*ssholes...’

Raine inwardly cursed as she continued to move her hips like a pro. Her long eyelashes and plump red lips gave her the expression of a lioness. Her fox-shaped eyes and hazel iris gave off a sharp look and strong aura. The ensemble sparked the interest of her audience even more.

She kept the bewitching smile on her face as she slowly removed one piece of clothing every half a minute or so until the only thing left was her black laced bra and underwear.

She stepped down the stage and slowly walked towards her target. Mr. Devon, who looked smitten, gawked at her without a blink. She could see his undercover bodyguards approaching her to prevent her from getting closer to him.

A smug smile appeared on her luscious lips when her target made a signal to stop his bodyguards from blocking her.

Some men from the crowd tried to get near her or touch her, but she had ways to prevent them from doing so without offending them or having to break their hands. However, such methods were not needed as of now.

While Raine was busy making her way through the crowd, a man with a pair of deep-hooded eyes never strayed his gaze away from her. He wore a black polo shirt that fit him like a glove. And unlike most men who were drooling over her, he was scowling. He had a gloomy expression which showed that he was not pleased with what he was witnessing.

Raine continuously swayed her hips sensually before removing her veil and twirling it with one hand. Throwing the garment on the face of the man in black who had suddenly caught her attention, a wicked smile curved on Raine’s lips as she diverted her steps towards a different direction. Instead of walking towards her target, she walked towards the man in black who was sitting on his chair like royalty with his smoking-hot silver hair.

’Is she seeking death?’

The man in black, named Tyrone, thought as he annoyingly removed the veil that the vixen threw at his face. He could smell her sweet scent on it, which made him shift uncomfortably in his seat. He was one of Mr. Devon’s bodyguards disguised as a guest to enter the club using his employer’s membership.

His eyebrows snapped. It was his first day of work with this man, and he could already smell trouble coming soon. The moment this woman set foot on the stage, he could tell that she was targeting Mr. Devon. His suspicion was only further confirmed when she was staring only at Mr. Devon throughout her entire performance.

The woman had the most perfect almond-shaped eyes, and she was so dangerously beautiful that every man in the room was drooling over her beauty and wild aura. She looked like a vixen hunting for her prey... who just so happened to be Mr. Devon.

Tyrone watched her every action, frowning in disapproval when he noticed that she suddenly shifted her attention and began headed toward his direction. He cursed his luck and readied himself to get up from his seat if she were to come near him. But before he even had the chance to move from his place, the woman sat on his lap.

Her vibrant hazel eyes preyed on him, sending shivers down his spine. Though he was a man and was burning with desire for her, he maintained his stoic expression without letting her know of his internal struggle.

"Where did you plan on going, darling?" Raine asked with a suggestive smile, touching the man’s chin to ensure they faced each other.

Tyron remained still in his seat. He felt something compelling him to stare back at her without blinking.

He could hear the crowd swear at him, envious that the woman they all wanted chose to sit on his lap instead of theirs. The vixen leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "Can I have my veil back, please? I need it for my performance, darling."

His body froze at her closeness. His grip on her veil tightened. She smelled so good, and her body felt so soft against him that it almost tempted him to ravish her. However, he managed to maintain his stoic expression as if he was unaffected by the beauty sitting on his lap.

Raine arched her eyebrows when she saw his impassive reaction. It was the first time that a man was unaffected by her teasing... He even stared back at her as if silently threatening her to get up from his lap.

Raine ignored his threat and put her arms on his shoulder. "I like your hair," she murmured as she brushed his silver hair before staring into his blueish-grey eyes. "You’re weird..." she whispered while she continued scrutinizing his eyes. There was something about them that she couldn’t seem to figure out.

Raine’s smile widened before she bit her lower lip. She moved her fingers to his lips, tracing their shape. Leaning into him, she pressed her body against his, her eyes never leaving his own.

She lightly scrunched the ends of her eyes as she whispered against his lips, "You’re allowed to breathe, darling."

She leaned even further, their lips almost touching before she quickly turned her face to meet the eyes of her target not far from where she was. She winked at Mr. Devon before whispering to the man she was sitting on, "Let’s meet again in the future, darling. Hopefully, under different circumstances."

After saying that, she quickly grabbed her veil from his hands and left him on his chair in a flash.

’I want him,’ Raine decided. But she knew her mission tonight was vital. She would just come back for him later.

She made her way towards her target, this time not breaking eye contact with him. As soon as she reached Mr. Devon, she immediately sat on his lap and seductively whispered in his ear, "Care to take me out now? Or do you want me to sit on another man’s lap again?"

She looked at her target, who gulped as he stared at her from head to toe. Raine looked at him intently before biting her lower lip with a smug smile carved onto her lips. Her hands slid down one strap off her bra as if acting to remove it. But before she could completely remove it, Mr. Devon gripped her wrist. When she looked at him, he whispered, "I hate sharing your beauty with others. You’re mine!"

Tyrone clenched his jaw as his eyes narrowed at the irksome scene. He silently cursed when he saw his employer carry the vixen and make his way to the VIP room. The man was smitten by the woman who screamed trouble.

"How could he fall for her tricks so easily..." he murmured before following the instructions of their head to secure the area and the room they were in.

Raine only heard her target whisper in her ears. And the next thing that happened was him carrying her in his arms to his private room through the secret door of the club. She could hear the complaints echoing off the crowd. But since the man was a very important member of the club, the owner could not stop him. Instead, the owner let another performer on stage replace her.

Mr. Devon stopped at a door that was secured with a biometric lock. If her guess was right, the man was hiding what she wanted in his private room in this strip club. She had already broken into his house and found nothing, so her gut was telling her that this was the right place.

"What’s your name?" her target asked as he entered the room after scanning his eyes.

"You can call me your baby," she whispered with a giggle.

She was still in Mr. Devon’s arms when they entered the room. As soon as the door closed, she quickly shifted her position and choke-slammed him to the ground. She twirled his tie around his neck and restricted his breathing.

"I need the list. Tell me where it is, or you will die right here and now."

Mr. Devon coughed and struggled as it became harder for him to breathe. He never thought that the Haven Club would be so careless as to let an assassin enter its premises.

"Where is it, baby? You should know that I’m very impatient," Raine whispered into his ear, choking him more as she tightened the tie around his neck.

Mr. Devon, whose face turned deep red, pointed his finger towards the bed. He did not want to die yet. And if she pulled any tighter, he would surely suffocate to his death.

Raine took off her stockings, stuffing them inside his mouth before tying his hands with his necktie and his ankles with his belt.

"I knew it."

Raine whispered in bewilderment as she noticed the linings of a socket. Raising the small lid, she was shocked to see that she ended up lifting one whole tile instead. Upon seeing a biometric lock, she smirked. He sure was a smart guy. She pulled Devon closer so that she could have him open the lock.

She untied his hands and hissed, "Open the lock! Don’t make me ask twice, or I’ll cut one of your damn fingers!"

She wanted to penetrate the freakin nightclub without stripping, but it was too hard since the man was very meticulous. Hence, she was left with no choice. She had to fake her identity and apply as a stripper. And when she successfully became one, she had to force herself to strip dance so that she could get his attention like this.

Thankfully, Mr. Devon cooperated and opened the lock with his index fingerprint. Opening with a hiss, the lock held a lone suitcase inside it. She smiled knowing it had an important list of prominent fiends who disguised themselves as humans. The names of the monsters she was after were inside the suitcase. It had a lock, however, which meant removing the stocking from Mr. Devon’s mouth to ask him.

"What’s the code?"

The man only shook his head and threatened her instead, "Woman. Do you honestly think you can get out of here alive after everything you’ve done?"

She had that mischievous smile as she replied, "We’ll see about that. But for now, do you think I won’t kill you if you don’t cooperate till the end?"

With one hand, she wrapped her fingers around the man’s neck to choke him as her hazel eyes turned red.

The man’s face paled, his body trembling in fear as he stuttered, "T-the bloody-eyed hunter..."

She partly loosened her grip around his neck. With a devious smile, she said, "Give me the code now, and I will spare your life tonight..."

Mr. Devon had heard facts about the hunter with red eyes. She was said to be deadly, and that she would never spare anyone that would block her way. He knew that he was already a deadman walking, but she was also someone who never broke a promise. He must cooperate to stay alive, so Mr. Devon quickly gave the code in fear for his life.

As soon as Mr. Devon gave the code, Raine immediately checked if it was working. She smiled in satisfaction as the briefcase opened, letting her scan the book inside.

"That’s more like it," she cooed in her sly, sweet smile before she winked at Mr. Devon, "As promised, I will not kill you. Not tonight..."

*Thud*

Striking him with the suitcase, the man fell unceremoniously with a thud as he lost consciousness. Seeing as he no longer needed it, she also stripped him off his long sleeve and quickly wore it to cover herself.

Outside the room, she knew that Mr. Devon’s bodyguards were waiting. With their considerable numbers, she could tell that she would have difficulty escaping unscathed.

She cracked her neck left and right, warming herself up before opening the door. Fighting those men would be a good exercise for her. She had already counted his bodyguards beforehand, and she was confident she could surpass them all. And as expected, it was easy to knock down all of Mr. Devon’s human bodyguards. Running to the exit door, an unexpected person bumped into her by the time she passed by the men’s restroom.

"Sh*t! Watch your steps!" she glared in annoyance before breaking the man’s neck. She could smell the scent of alcohol reeking out of him.

"You..." another man trailed off. His eyes widened in shock when he witnessed the woman snapping someone’s neck like it was nothing.

"Hello, handsome. I like your glasses," Raine greeted the newcomer. She winked at him before she hit another bodyguard who was about to attack her.

She quickly crushed the bodyguard’s neck who was clearly not human at all, but a mythological creature disguised as a man. She turned and looked back at the man staring at her in a daze, but he fainted after witnessing all the dead bodies on the floor.

’Such a weak heart!" she mused as she shook her head. She left the man knowing he would be fine. She knew him, after all. The man was a doctor working at the hospital where she was currently working in country D. She would deal with the matter with him later. She could only hope that the man would not recognize her later.

Raine headed inside the men’s restroom to escape from the window there, else she would lose energy with the never-ending fighting with those ’mytures’ coming her way. She called them ’mytures’ instead of monsters; short for mythological creatures that her father often called said monsters. Jumping off and running to the safety of a dark alley, she was careful not to cause any commotion seeing there were a lot of civilians still on the road at that hour.

"Damn!"

She cursed, regretting doing the mission alone. She usually had a team behind her back, but she felt indignant at the thought of any one of them seeing her doing anything like strip dancing, so she decided to do this particular mission alone.

"You have nowhere to run now..." one of the men who followed her spoke, blocking her way. Raine smirked. They were no match for her, so she fought them all and knocked everyone out once again.

"This is so tiring..." she complained when she sensed another batch of men headed towards her. "Sh*t!" she muttered when she felt a prick in her arm. They shot her with something, and she could tell that it was a drug to make her lose consciousness.

"I have to get out of here..." she whispered as she managed to run. She could feel the effect of the drug coursing through her veins. She was almost stumbling and about to fall when she felt a pair of strong arms suddenly hold her still and carry her up.

"I’ll help you get out of here."

A deep, husky, and masculine voice echoed beside her. She couldn’t see his face properly in the dark, but aside from that, she managed to notice the hood and a black mask that he was wearing. His warmth was so pleasing, to the point that she even comfortably snuggled further into him as she weakly whispered, "And why would you do that?"

"We are even now. When the time comes, I may not be able to spare your life like this..." she heard the man answer before she lost consciousness.

The man who saved Raine gently placed her on the bed before grabbing the booklist from her hands. He looked at Raine as he whispered, "It would take hours for you to wake up. You will be safe here until then."

He stared at Raine for some time. She seemed to be having a dream taking on the look of a sleeping beauty waiting for a prince to kiss her from her slumber. But... he was not her prince, he was her nightmare.

"Enjoy your dream, Princess..." he whispered before leaving Raine inside the room.

’What is this?’ Raine mused as she opened her eyes and saw a familiar place. Her eyes widened, realizing she was once again inside her dream.

She stared at the man and the little girl not far from her. The man with a cigarette was her father and she was that little girl.

"A Mirage is an optical illusion; something that you think you’re seeing but isn’t actually there. To look at, to wonder at," the man with a scar on his right cheek recited before sucking on the cigarette he was holding. The burning smoke of tobacco filled his mouth, an amused smile adorning his face as each word he spoke let out puffs of cigarette smoke.

"That’s the dictionary definition of Mirage... No wonder the founder of our group named it Mirage. Such a brilliant name, don’t you think? People questioned the real existence of this group. Yet, we present ourselves as an illusion to them, making them think that we don’t exist," he added as he threw his cigarette away before staring at the King of Moon Clan, Arthur.

"Ahh, this is a sight to behold... the King on his knee like this... tsk..." Marcus, the scarred man, mocked with a click of his tongue.

"You won’t get away with this, Marcus! Father will not let this go!" Arthur hissed. His eyes were burning red with anger directed at the man before him.

"We will see about that, Arthur. You know, Father is dying too. And who knows? He might even join you very soon," Marcus laughed as he boasted. "Don’t worry, though, because I will take good care of the twins from your first wife so all of you can be together soon. Ah, and of course your werewolf wife and son too..."

"What..."

"Did you really think that you could hide it forever? The real identity of your second wife?" Marcus gloated further. "I am afraid I have to eliminate everyone but the top priority is the son that you’re hiding. I heard your youngest is different from your other kids, Arthur. Is that why you kept the existence of the boy a secret from us?"

Arthur’s eyes widened in terror, making Marcus laugh even more before it faded as he yelled, "That boy could be a threat to our group! You’re an even greater disappointment for allowing monsters inside our clan, Arthur!"

"No! You can’t do this! We need a fair trial, Marcus! You can’t just wipe my family and my followers like this without giving us a chance to defend ourselves! It’s against our law! Don’t harm Nathan!" Arthur roared. "He’s a good boy!! He is not a monster. He can control himself and his powers just like his mother. He is an extraordinary child. He will not be a threat, Marcus!"

His words seemed to go by unheeded, however.

"Why are you doing this?! I am your brother, for heaven’s sake! If you’re doing this just because you want the throne, then I’ll l give it to you! Just spare my family! Please!!" Arthur pleaded desperately. He could not believe Marcus planned a genocide when his family treated him like their own blood!

Marcus leaned closer to him before whispering into his ear, "We don’t share the same blood, brother... So technically, we are nothing but strangers."

"Y-You knew?!" Arthur gasped as his eyes widened in shock.

Marcus no longer answered, only giving Arthur a cold stare as he placed the business end of his gun against his forehead. "Death is the only thing permanent in this world for humans, my brother. We humans should remain superior even though we have no supernatural powers. Co-existence with monsters is impossible. Goodbye, Arthur."

*Bang*

Marcus looked at the little girl beside him and said, "We must eliminate humans protecting or sheltering monsters. These monsters will rule the world unfairly. You must not show mercy should you encounter these kinds of people or monsters in the future."

The girl, who was only seven years old, simply nodded before staring at the lifeless body of the man she used to call ’Uncle’. There were no emotions in her eyes. Emotions were only for the weak, as her father would always say. And she was not weak.

Her father signaled her to walk beside him, so she did. They walked past the pile of bodies killed by her father’s men, some of them looking as if they drowned in their own blood. Fluids of different colors seeped from the grotesque pile of bodies, and yet all had that same metallic pungent smell. She covered her nose at the abhorrent scent.

"Why are there different colors of blood?" she asked.

"Vampires have dark red blood whereas wolves have black blood... Those two monsters are the most dangerous of all the supernatural creatures living among us," her father explained.

"Green, brown, and the other colors are the blood of other creatures disguised as humans. Only humans have red blood, my dear."

Her father knelt beside her and placed a hand over one of her shoulders, "Raine, you are an exceptional kid because not all humans are like you. You are gifted because you were born with special blood like your mother. You will be the Moon Clan’s pride... Look around and familiarize yourself with these monsters your uncle secretly sheltered and protected for all these years. Go and participate in their eradication..."

Raine nodded and continued walking around the vast territory owned by her uncle Arthur. Observing what was happening, these so-called "monsters" burned all around her. She could hear their screams of agony as they got tortured, burnt alive like the subhuman garbage that they were.

At such a young age, Raine could not fathom why everyone must die so heinously. All she knew was that it was her fate to see it all through. She understood that it was her responsibility as a Princess of the Moon Clan to be an impeccable slayer of demons and supernatural creatures. She naturally possessed great skills when compared to other humans, and her race was already predisposed to the job at hand, as her father would always say.

The Moon Clan was one of the three clans that make up the MIRAGE; a powerful underworld group operating in secret known only as a myth to humans.

Raine stopped in her tracks when she saw an old man crawling towards her. He was slowly dying due to the poison injected into his body. He was experiencing immense pain, yet he still strived to gasp for breath. She knew there was no hope for him. Like most humans, these creatures also wanted to live a long life. It was why they constantly tried to blend themselves in with humans in the first place.

"Let me help you take the pain away..." Raine whispered before she bent down and held the old man’s neck.

In one swift motion, she snapped it, taking the werewolf’s life instantly.

Her father began training her in earnest as soon as she turned seven. This training also included killing monsters like this old man, so the usually gruesome act was just an ordinary thing for her.

Moving on forward, she stopped as her eyes darted to the beautiful garden on the right side of the mansion. She walked towards it, hearing footsteps coming from the inside. Following the sound, she furrowed her brows as the sound of rushed steps echoed from within the newly built maze.

"Someone wants to escape," she softly murmured as she fastened her pace to find out. The sound of the footsteps weakened, allowing Raine to catch whoever it was that was trying to escape. Eventually, she finally caught sight of a...

"A boy..."

Raine frowned as she stared at the intruder who was barely an inch taller than her. He seemed lost based on his expression, "Is the maze that complicated? It looks easy to me."

Looking further, she noticed that there were bloodstains all over his white shirt all while having a knife on his hand. Raine eyed him for a few seconds before walking closer. When the boy saw her moving, he quickly aimed the knife towards her. His grip tightened as he shook in his spot.

"Don’t come near me... Or I will kill you..." the boy said in a firm, low tone.

Unaffected by the boy’s threat, Raine gave him a sweet yet fierce smile as she took a small step towards him.

"I said don’t come near me!! If you take one more step, I will kill you! I know you!" accused the boy with gritted teeth. "You’re the daughter of that man who killed everyone!"

Raine’s smile faded. She could see the veins popping on his neck because of how furious he was. His eyes brimmed with tears as his gaze belied his hatred. With a blank expression, she began her defense, "He only killed monsters."

"He killed my father!" the boy hissed with a low voice, careful not to catch the attention of others. "He was human!"

His grip on his knife tightened as he got ready to kill anyone who would block his way.

"So you’re the boy Uncle Arthur was hiding. Nathan right? Short for Nathaniel, I presume," she calmly stated. "Don’t be afraid, Nathan. Father might spare you if you’re human."

But Raine was also not sure about her words, whether her father would spare the boy.

Raine frowned as she stared at the boy’s eyes. Usually, she could tell if a person was human or not just by staring into their eyes. Looking at his, however, she couldn’t discern his kind.

"Weird. I can’t tell if you’re a human or a monster," Raine whispered to herself.

"We are not monsters! We were living in peace!" the boy hissed. "Your father was wiping out everyone who’s entitled to be the ruler of the Moon Clan! We are the true descendants of the clan. We have all the rights to the throne! Not your father!"

"That might be true, but this tragedy showed only one thing... That your father was a weak man," she rebutted. "Why would he let my father beat him if he were the true king? A ruler must remain strong and unbeaten at all times. Uncle Arthur doesn’t deserve the throne if he can’t even protect his own family."

Nathan was taken aback by the way the girl expressed her opinions at a seemingly young age. His knife was still aimed straight at her, and yet she did not seem scared at all.

"Tell me, are you lost in your father’s maze, Nathan?"

As much as he hated to admit it, the little girl was right. He was indeed lost because it was the first time he had come out of his father’s mansion. He had spent most of his time hiding in his private room, leaving him unableto memorize the map of the maze. His father had told him that the garden was connected to his room via a secret path that no one knew except him and his mother. They could use it to escape in times of emergencies.

He was on his way to the secret passage with his mother when Marcus’ men stopped them. His loving mother, who cared for him, also died protecting him. She fought till her last breath to make sure he escaped and survived.

Nathan opened his mouth to answer the girl, but a shout echoed from outside the maze before he could speak.

"Here!! I saw that boy run here. Come quickly! We must find him!"

The girl with cat-shaped eyes sighed and whispered, "Be quiet..."

The boy frowned. And the next thing he knew was the girl pushing him inside the bushes.

"Princess Raine... Did you see a boy running through here?" one of her father’s men asked.

"Yes."

Nathan clenched his fist, hearing how the girl answered.