Chapter One:

Taomi Superbi

She sat there, gently pulling the brush through her long, white hair. She sighed and glanced in the mirror, her red eyes glaring back at her. She pushed her bangs out of her eyes and looked towards the window.

"Taomi?" someone said knocking at her door.

"Yes?" Taomi said in her quiet and mellow voice.

"Are you ready?" the lady walked in her room, pulling a baggage cart behind her.

Taomi sighed and picked up her bags. "Yes…I'm ready."

The lady smiled and grabbed the other bags. "Come now, child." She turned and walked out of the room and down the hall.

Taomi sighed and quietly followed. She paused at the door and glanced back at what used to be her room. Her eyes going misty thinking of all the times she sat in this bed wishing for this exact day to come.

"Taomi, is something wrong?" The lady said turning to see it Taomi was following.

Taomi looked over at the lady, slowly blinking the tears out of her eyes. She slowly shook her head. "No…nothing's wrong…" She sighed and followed the lady.

The lady turned the corner and into the lobby, Taomi slowly followed carefully peeking around the corner to see who was there. To see who she would be living with for the rest of her life.

An old lady stood there and glanced at Taomi with a gentle smile on her face. "Hello, my child." She said in a raspy voice.

Taomi stood there looking at the lady, not expecting anything like this. Taomi gawked at the old lady and guessed she was in her mid-sixties, early seventies. Her salt and pepper hair twisted into an elegant bun. Her clothing nothing short of rich and old fashioned, the skirt barely touching the floor. Taomi gulped and held her hand out. "H-hello…I'm Taomi." She said, casting her eyes to the floor.

The lady stood there quietly looking at Taomi with gentle eyes. "You may call me Mrs. Red." She smiled and shook Taomi's hand.

Taomi nodded and took her hand back, gripping her bags tighter.

Mrs. Red straightened her back and turned her attention to Taomi's former caretaker. "Is there anything other than her quietness?"

Taomi's former caretaker cleared her throat. "Not that I know of." She looked at Taomi with a glare.

Taomi shivered and gripped her bag harder making her already pale knuckles go even whiter.

Mrs. Red smiled softly and looked at Taomi. "Do you have all your things?"

Taomi nodded and started towards the door. "Y-yes, Mrs. Red, I'm ready whenever you are."

Mrs. Red nodded her head and turned abruptly towards the door. "Then come, child. We have to hurry."

Taomi sighed and followed her new guardian out the doors and into the parking lot. She paused to take a look back at what used to be her home. Butterflies started dancing in her stomach. She gripped her bag tighter and turned, following the old lady to her car.

A man stood aside the car holding the back passenger side door open, bowing his head to them. "This must be Lady Taomi." The older man said, tipping his black hat with his right index finger and smiling showing his sparkly white teeth. Taomi blushed and handed him her bags.

She must be one of those fancy rich people I can't stand… Taomi thought hopping into the car.

The driver softly shut the door and walked around to the front of the car. He opened the door and hopped in.

"Child…" Mrs. Red said, looking out the window.

"Yes?" Taomi said turning to face Mrs. Red.

"How old are you, exactly?" she said slowly turning towards Taomi.

Taomi turned her head towards the front of the car and watched out of windshield. "I'm fifteen." She glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw Mrs. Red nod her head slowly. She turned her head to see Mrs. Red and smiled.

"Lady Taomi, I apologize. I failed to mention my name earlier." The driver said. "My name is Jeffery. I'm the Red Manor's butler."

Taomi looked at Jeffery and smiled. I was right…she is the rich snobby type. She even has her own butler. She thought. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jeffery."

Jeffery laughed softly, a raspy throaty sound.

A short while later they pulled into a gated drive way. Taomi looked at the house expecting to see a huge house with lots of decorations splayed across the front yard. Taomi gawked at the house, surprised at what she saw. Nothing outdated, yet not modern. Not a huge mansion, yet not a small cottage. It was an older Victorian style house that had been updated at much as possible. The beige paint complimented the brown roof and shutters alongside the windows.

Jeffery got out and opened Mrs. Red's door, allowing her to step out on the asphalt pavement. Then he quickly walked around and allowed Taomi to exit the vehicle as well. She looked around at her new settings and noticed the fountain in the middle of the circle driveway, simple yet tasteful. "I see you're a fan of the view…" Jeffery said struggling to carry all of Taomi's bags.

Taomi looked at Jeffery and nodded, taking two bags from Jeffery and quietly followed as they walked through the French themed cherry oak wood door and into the house.

Jeffery walked down the hall and made a right around the corner, opening a door at the end of the hall and stepped in. "This, Lady Taomi, shall be your room." He placed the bags on the bed and watched Taomi. "I'll leave you be to put your things away." He walked to the window and slid the curtains aside allowing the sunlight to enter the room. "If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask." Jeffery walked back towards the door and silently shut it, leaving Taomi in the room with her things.

Taomi looked around admiring the interior design. The soft red walls with elegant gold colored candle holder type lights on the wall. A chandelier, with gold vines twisting around it, hung in the center of the room. The bay window, on the far wall, looked out over a lake. Taomi walked to the window and sat on the ledge in front of it. She sat there for a few minutes looking over the back yard, noticing all the trees and how much shade there was. She sighed and walked to her bed, opening her bags and organizing her things. She pulled her clothes out and hung up all her shirts on hangers and hung them in the closet. She returned to the bed and carefully folded her clothes, placing them neatly and carefully into oak dresser. Taomi picked up the freshly emptied bags and stashed them in the far wall of the closet.

A knock on the door caught her attention. She stood up straight and walked out of her closet, carefully shutting the door behind her. "Come in."

Mrs. Red opened the door and stepped into the room, looking around. "Is it to your liking, Taomi?"

Taomi smiled and sat on the bench in front of the window. "Yes it is, I find it very beautiful." She took another look around the room and smiled.

Mrs. Red sighed in relief and sat on the bed. She stayed quiet for a few minutes.

Taomi sat there looking at Mrs. Red, wondering if she should say something to fill the silence or just allow her to think.

Mrs. Red cleared her throat. "Taomi…" she started.

Taomi continued to watch Mrs. Red with curiosity on her face.

Mrs. Red sighed and cleared her throat again. "Do you know anything about your real family?"

Taomi felt the familiar lump in her throat and turned to look out the window. "No." she said in a tight voice.

Mrs. Red turned towards Taomi with a shocked face. "How do you not know anything about your blood family?" She said astounded.

Taomi looked at her with shock on her face. "I was never told anything. I don't even know my real last name!" she said, her temper slowly starting to rise. How dare this lady speak as if she knows who I am?! She thought, clenching her hands into fists in an attempt to keep her anger under control.

Mrs. Red shook her head and sighed. "I'm sorry…I only adopted you because I was asked to." She turned her attention to the door.

Taomi blinked and tilted her head in confusion. "You were…asked to? May I ask who asked you to adopt me?"

Mrs. Red continued staring at the door.

"Mrs. Red?" Taomi said trying to get her attention.

Mrs. Red sighed and turned towards Taomi. "First, let me say this. I tried for the past fifteen years to find you Taomi…" she said blinking tears out of her eyes.

Taomi's patience was slowly diminishing. She started tapping her foot on the floor, a sign that she was beginning to get annoyed by this old lady's way of talking.

Mrs. Red coughed and continued. "I've been friends with your father since he met your mother. After she died…he asked me to take you in. At the time I couldn't take you in, for I had no home. He was forced to give you up. He came to be a few months after he gave you up and begged me to adopt you. I spent a lot of money and time trying to find you. Like I said, it took me fifteen years to hunt you down, Taomi." She started playing with the edge of her shirt staring at the bed. "I jumped on the chance to adopt you and keep my word."

Taomi sat back against the window, carefully watching Mrs. Red's actions.

Mrs. Red looked over at Taomi. "He's still alive you know…"

Taomi shrugged. "Why would I care about someone who gave me up?"

Mrs. Red let out a nervous chuckle and stared at Taomi. "He gave you up because he couldn't stand seeing your mother in you. He said you looked like her clone. I don't see it. I think you look more like your older brother."

Taomi raised her eyebrow. "I have a brother? Did he give him up too?"

Mrs. Red shook her head. "No. He doesn't know about you, as far as I know. He went to a school for kids like you."

Taomi grunted. "Kids like me? What? Is my family considered royalty?"

Mrs. Red chuckled and looked at the chandelier. "No. Your father was in the mafia. Your brother is currently in one of the biggest mafia families around, Vongola."

"And how do you know this?" Taomi asked, allowing venom to coat her words.

"I already told you. I keep in touch with your father." Mrs. Red looked towards the door. "I'll ask him to meet you in person if you wish…"

Taomi shook her head fast. "If he wants to meet me, he can come to me. I'm not going to him."

"If that's the way you want it…" Mrs. Red said sadly.

Taomi ignored her and looked out the window, admiring the view again.

Mrs. Red sighed and stood up. "I'll have Je- -"

"Mrs. Red?" Jeffery said knocking on the door.

"Yes Jeffery?" Mrs. Red said turning to see Jeffery walk into the room.

"I'd hate to bother you but there is someone at the door asking to speak with you." Jeffery made a quick eye movement towards Taomi and back towards Mrs. Red. Normal eyes wouldn't have noticed it but Taomi's did.

"Tell them I will be out in a minute." Mrs. Red said straightening her back and walking out of Taomi's room. She paused at the door and said over her shoulder. "I want you downstairs, presentable, in five minutes." She walked away before Taomi could retort.

Taomi scowled at the door and changed her clothes and walked out into the hall. She turned left at the corner and towards the living room, slowly entering.

"Yes she's in her room getting changed now…" Mrs. Red said. "But…" she cleared her throat. "I do not think she will get along with you too well."

"Why do you say that?" a man's voice said.

Taomi stopped at the entrance and listened to their conversation.

Mrs. Red stayed quiet for a minute. "She…well…doesn't know anything…"

The man coughed and adjusted on the couch. "You said she'd be joining us?"

Glass clinked and Mrs. Red said quietly. "If she joins us, I'll be shocked. She doesn't seem like the kind of girl who would disobey orders."

Taomi rolled her eyes and walked into the room, having heard enough.

Mrs. Red looked up and smiled as Taomi entered the room. "Ah! Taomi! Welcome." She gestured for Taomi to sit on the couch next to the man. "Timeto, this is Taomi."

The old man held his hand out towards Taomi and she reluctantly shook it. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise…" Taomi said.

Jeffery placed a cup of tea in front Taomi's spot on the couch. She looked at it, then to Jeffery, then back to the tea.

Taomi sat on the couch and drank the tea, allowing the hot liquid to flow down her throat.

Mrs. Red sat up in her chair and looked at Timeto and Taomi. "Taomi…this is the man that's the boss of where your brother works…"

Taomi shrugged and placed her cup on saucer plate and back onto the coffee table.

Their conversation went on for some time. Taomi quietly excused herself and walk outside. She sauntered around to the back of the house and down towards the lake. I wonder how deep it is. She walked closer to the lake, taking her shoes off and placing her feet into the water, shivering as the cold water slipped above ankles.

A boom in the distance caught her attention. She looked over and saw smoke not far in the distance and heard yelling, the yelling continued getting louder as the voices came closer and closer. Taomi sat there looking at the direction of the voices and all the commotion. A young boy came running out of the clearing as fast as he could. Three men followed him shortly after, running straight forward, not seeming to notice Taomi sitting there watching. One guy tripped and something flew out of his hands, landing a scarce two feet from Taomi. Instinct said to flee. Curiosity said to see what he dropped. She reached her hand out and slid what it was under her shirt and sat there watching the men, wondering what they were doing. "Hey!" she yelled.

The men looked at her shocked to see her standing there. "Shit!" one of them yelled. "How the hell could he have gotten here before us?!" he yelled again, looking behind him. He gripped his hand and gasped. "Where is it?!" he yelled louder.

"Forget it! Let's go!" The brown haired guy said, dragging his friend by the arm.

The young boy stood there in awe, watching the two men flee in fear from Taomi. "If we leave without it then we'll be dead! Boss will kill us!"

"If we fight him," The man brown haired guy said, looking around for the thing Taomi had picked up. "He'll kill us!"

Taomi's eye twitched. "I'm not a h- -"

The black haired man on the ground started to frantically look around for whatever it is he'd dropped.

Taomi sighed and stood up, flipping her hair over her shoulder and started walking towards the men, fully enraged.

The three men started freaking. The black haired man noticed Taomi starting towards them. He jumped up and ran towards the other two and they all ran away.

"Wait!" she held up the thing he'd dropped, trying to get their attention to come back and re-claim their object.

The three men continued running away.

She sighed and looked at the red/brown colored bag that she now held in her possession. A draw string held the bag shut tight so whatever was in side, wouldn't fall out. She slid her finger through the leather rope and slowly opened it. She gasped when she looked inside the bag. Quickly closing it, she shoved it into her skirts pocket and ran back towards the house.