Looking at his dark eyes feels like I'm staring at a black hole ready to consume my whole system. And his mask didn't even lessen the effect. We stared at each others eyes like it's only the two of us in this dance floor. My arms wrapped around his neck and his hands slowly lifted to my waist. Suddenly, I became extra aware of our physical contacts, sending me a burning sensation. It was static. And stupid.

This might be the most defying moment between us. The finale. The death of one between the two of us. And I'll make sure that it is not me.

He smiled, flashing his perfect set of teeth. "Of course, My Queen," he answered to my question. I didn't hear any hint of mockery from his voice, but I would still label that statement as sarcasm.

The band started a very slow music. Devon leisurely placed his other hand to my back and pulled me closer to him like our distance isn't enough. My smirk faded into a thin line as I hitch my breath at our closeness. Chest to chest, my face became just a few inches to his.

"I wonder why my name got directly invited in this event?" he started as we move to the tempo of the music.

"Bakit nga kaya?" maang-maangan ko at muling nagbalik ang ngisi sa aking mga labi. The Don's name got exposed and it would be a very big deal to him and to the mafia. But, what does he expect from the wicked me?

Basically, the worst.

Mas lalo itong lumapit sa akin. "You don't know how mad I am right now, Kitten," bulong niya sa aking tenga. It almost brought shivers down to my spine.

"Give me one a reason why should I care," I told him sarcastically.

"You joined them, didn't you?" Naging seryoso ang kanyang mukha habang direstong nakatingin sa akin.

"Joined who?"

"Of all the organizations out there, why did you chose them? You don't know what you're putting your little self into," matigas at tila galit nitong saad.

Pinalandas ko ang aking mga daliri sa kanyang kaliwang pisngi ng dahan-dahan habang sinusundan ito ng tingin. "Do you have a say, Don?" mahinang wika ko na tila mas lalong nagpadilim sa kanyang mga tingin. He looks mad. But I want him more mad than that.

"Why do you have to be a hardheaded little kitten? Why do you keep on giving me a hard time, Aurora Silvestre?"

"Because you killed my parents and I oath a payback," I exclaimed. Pay for everything that were stolen away from me. Everything but life.

"Is that so?" he smirked. "How sure are you? How sure are you, Aurora, that we killed your parents?" he whispered slowly to my ear.

"Nandoon ako. I was there as they spent the very last minute of their lives, pleading not to touch their daughter. I clearly heard what does that filthy man told us. They came rampaging our house to kill us, ordered by the Don-"

"You heard it from that filthy man. But have you heard it directly from the Don himself?" he boldly asked and I know what he is implying. Bago pa ako makapagsalita ay inunahan niya na ako. "How come you trusted that man's words so easily while you can't just even listen to me?" dagdag nito. Agad namang nagsalubong ang aking mga kilay sa mga pahayag niya.

"I didn't trust him. I don't trust anyone," giit ko. Bumibilis ang aking paghinga habang kinokontrol ko ang aking pasensiya.

"Well, sad to say, you just did," he told me in a mocking tone. "You lived into his words. You accused us and ran away. You believed him that the Don, my father, ordered him to kill his strongest assassins with their own daughter for a subtle reason. You basically trusted your whole life to go against us, against me...You trusted his lies, Aurora," he recited.

"You're the one who is lying."

"My father never ordered that man to kill your parents. And that's the truth I've been trying to show you for years, Kitten. But, it seems he perfectly injected his lies deep-rooted in your mind."

I clinched my fist unto his collar tightly and gritted my teeth. "Stop spitting lies," I snarled at him with a deadly glare.

My face was crunched up, but I'm trying to regain my calm. I shouldn't be affected, but somehow he made me feel confused. At the least part of my mind silently agrees that he has a point. And I don't know where does that part of my mind came from. Dammit! I shouldn't listen to his lies!

"Samuel Navarro. He had a high position in the mafia. He held the agents and mafia guards. But then, became traitor after being eaten up by enviousness. He likes this particular woman for a long time. He was once obsessed with Amanda Montgomery, the fastest manslayer of Clemente Mafia, your mother. But, Montgomery has other man. She loves Rowell Silvestre. So, Navarro gone mad."

"I said stop it. Shut the fuck up!" Halos ibaon ko ang aking mga kuko sa kanyang leeg pero pawang hindi ito tinatablan. Nanlilisik ang aking mga mata habang tinititigan siya. Hindi ko alam kung saan niya nakukuha ang mga detalye pero wala akong planong intindihin ito. Hell! Funny that we're still dancing with this slow, romantic music having an asymptotic conversation, our words will never agree to each other.

Like that, he continued like he didn't heard me. "Navarro tried to kill Silvestre numerous times in a secret way, but failed. Unfortunately to his part, Montgomery and Silvestre were a couple known to be deadly killers. For years of trying, he looked for another solution. Then, he found out that your father was a former member from other organization. Later on, he discovered the two already had a daughter hidden. He was furious of the news. He quickly used that and told the Don about it. He wants the Don and the whole mafia extinguish Silvestre. But my father didn't go to his side and said it doesn't matter anymore. Navarro gone more mad. He used his position to planned an ambush to your family and that day happened," mahabang pahayag nito.

Now, I couldn't move. All my life I thought I was the only one who knows that horrible story. It was my nightmare that came from the reality. But it seems the demons knows all my darkest secrets.

"Stop making up a story," I told him dismissively. Iyon lamang ang nasabi ko. My mind is in chaos right now. I didn't know there would come a time that my thoughts would be tangled on whether to trust his words or not. I'm always opposed to him. I should be. Pero pawang hindi ko na rin sigurado kung tama ang ipinaglalaban ko.

"I am not making up a story. Samuel Navarro wanted to kill your whole family, specially you and your father. If he successfully killed Montgomery and Silvestre, why is their daughter alive? Why didn't Navarro kill that little girl if there is no one can stop him already that time?" tanong niya.

I opened my mouth, but then closed it again when I couldn't find an answer in my mind. That was a mystery I refused to acknowledge since then. Now, he is asking why am I alive? Parang tinanong ako tungkol sa istoryang hindi ko naman nabasa. Wala akong maisip na dahilan.

"The little girl woke up in headquarters after the incident, right? If Navarro is on our side, where is he now? Why is he not around? Why is their daughter alive?"

"I...I don't know," I answered honestly. My logic isn't working anymore. Dati ay siguradong-sigurado na ko sa aking pasya, subalit ngayon ay gulung-gulo na ang aking isipan.

"The Don found out the ambush, but rescued too late. He had saved the daughter only and Navarro escaped. They caged that little girl in a room because of being too violent. Now, she became an assassin who oath to kill her savior's heir," wika niya. Lumandas ang kanyang haplos sa aking likuran, tracing circles. He titled his head and stared at me, "What a very funny story, isn't?"

I placed my hand on his chest to at least create a distance. "How did you know all these things?" I questioned. It's like he knows every detail of my life. Pawang mas marami pa itong alam tungkol sa sarili kong buhay. Sino ang nagbigay sa kanya ng mga detalyeng ito?

"The Don's son happen to got interested in that little girl. He watched her get violet after the traumatic incident. He watched her trained. He watched her looked like an innocent kitten, but kills like the strongest lion. He watched her grew up beautifully with all the men ogling at her. He watched her planned his own death..." His face was dead serious while enumerating.

My heart abnormally pumps faster and faster. My posture stiffened and I am having a heavy feeling in my stomach. Para itong nagsalita ng ibang lenggwaheng hindi ko maintindihan.

"What the hell do you mean?" mahinang saad ko na pawang nawawalan na ako ng enerhiya.

We just stared at each other for a few seconds until he let out the bomb.

"The Don's son got obsessed with the daughter," he said. Saktong natapos ang kanta.

I felt disoriented. My abrupt reaction was to push him, creating a space between us. He let me step back, but didn't loss the eye contact. Halos marinig ko ang bilis ng tibok ng ang aking puso. I am at lost of words again. Where did my sarcastic statements go? I felt breathlessness. I felt dumb. I couldn't think of anything.

Then, someone pulled my arm away from him as the new song came again. Isang hindi ko kilalang lalaki ang iginaya ako sa pagsayaw. Hinayaan kong ilayo niya ako kay Devon. Doon lamang ako nakahinga ng maayos. Pero ang aking mata ay nakatingin pa rin sa kanya. Nakitang kong may ibang babaeng humila rin sa kanya para makipagsayaw. Subalit ang tingin niya ay nasa akin pa rin.

"Okay ka lang ba, Miss?"

Ang aking pansin ay nalipat sa aking kasayaw. Atubili lamang akong tumango. Nagpatuloy lang kami sa pagsabay sa kanta. This is a stupid dance game. I shouldn't have went to the dance floor. Ngayon ay gulung-gulo na ang aking isipan. Sumasakit ang ulo ko kakaisip sa mga sinabi ng demonyong iyon. I am confused whether to finish this dance or just leave right now.

Subalit, bago pa ako makapagdesisyon ay may marahas ng umagaw sa akin palayo sa aking kasayaw. Pamilyar na mga mata muli ang aking nakasalubong. He pulled my hands, wrapped around his neck again with his hands on my back.

And I'm dancing with the demon once more.

"What the hell is your problem?" I snapped at him. The guy I'm dancing with supposedly just back off when he saw Devon glaring. Hindi ito agad sumagot bagkos ay nakatingin lamang. I just rolled my eyes at him.

I don't know why we're dancing again. I don't even know why am I letting him to. I should get my gun clasped on my legs, hidden in my dress. I should make a move right now. But what the hell is stopping me?

"Have you been ever attracted to someone that you can actually feel it driving you crazy?" tanong niya maya-maya.

Then, my heart is at it again, the very fast beating that it is like I'm about to have a cardiac arrest. He lifted his right hand and cupped my face. His thumb is stroking my cheeks slowly. He removed my mask as his eyes dropped down to my lips. And I became well aware of our very small distance.

"You're the only poison I really, really wanted to taste, Aurora," he whispered.

His thumb touched my lips as he kept his eyes at it. My eyes fell to his lips too for an unknown reason. All the people and the noises around us fade like we are being wrapped around our own bubble. I knew this would be the most defying moment between us, but I just didn't expect this part. He titled his head and inched closer and closer to me. Then suddenly, all lights went off as I felt his soft lips on mine.