Ours is the hate that all should cower and tremble, for we are real and fierce. We do not mind being rude or mean. For what we say is true and pure.
~Fierce family credence~
Chapter One
Hell is only one elevator ride down
The smell is what hit her first, the smell of must, of dampness, of blood. She worked to open her eyes, and it was an effort. She could only wince at the pain in her right eye, the pain in her wrists…inconceivable.
When her eyes finally opened, she had to strain to see in the dim light. She saw four others, besides herself, bound by chains. She looked up only to see that the same chains bound her hands like the others. She looked around the room and nothing was familiar.
Where am I?
She struggled to remember what she was doing last. She remembered going to the frat house on her campus, they were going to typical rush party that happened in the beginning of the year. She remembered laughing with her friends, but details started to blur and she could not remember, as hard as she tried, how she got here. Let alone the events that caused her to be brought here.
Salera Fierce looked around, fear starting to edge its way in. She was trapped, and she did not know where she was. Fear skittered down her spine and tasted like soot in her mouth. Yet in this situation, when she should be terrified, her first thought went to…them.
They would not be happy, they drilled into her constantly that no one was to be trusted except for their own. They particularly did not like her roommate, Mara. A bonefide 'wild card' and not in a good sense, as one of her oldest brothers Sloan had put it. All of them wanted her to live at home, but she insisted on living on campus, a rebellion of sorts. How fucking stupid of her now, yet as dominating as her brothers and sisters could be, they allowed her to go to campus. Of course not without their 'stipulations' as she liked to call it, they preferred the term 'safety measures.' At this point, she wished she were with them now!
"Ah, I see you are finally awake." It was a gravelly voice, one that was not pleasant to hear.
Salera blinked and gathered the courage to turn her head. In the corner of the room was a man sitting at a table smoking a cheap cigar. He looked older, well dressed, but beneath that thin veneer of civilization, something lurked, as if he had no qualms about hurting anyone. Moreover, it was probably going to be her….shit.
"Who are you?" she felt as if her throat was going to close it was so dry.
He looked at her and continued to pull on his nauseating cigar. He sat for a moment just staring; when she was sure he was not going to answer, he set his cigar down on an ashtray.
"Who I am doesn't matter; you only need to know that we have been looking for you for quite some time."
"Look, I don't know who you are, but I have older brothers and sisters who make me call home every night, and if I do not call they will come looking for me." She tried to steal her stare against him only to note that he had a prick-ish asshole I-am-the-man smirk on his face, fucker.
He stood up and crossed the room to where she was being held. He lowered till he was kneeling just in front of her and leaned in close to smell her hair and neck, he reeked of sweat and cheap cologne that burned its stench into her nostrils. He moved closer, continuing to smell her neck and came to the front of her face. His hand snaked out to run across her hip, snaked under her shirt where he caressed the skin of her abdomen and higher yet. Salera closed her eyes against the assault that made her skin crawl. Higher and higher yet his hand moved, stopping a mere half inch below her breast.
He sneered at her reaction, enjoying her discomfort. Suddenly a memory of her older brother Sayer drifted into her thoughts.
"Fierce's do not show defeat or fear. Look your enemy in the eye and let them know that you will not be intimidated." Sayer told her this as he flipped her onto the matt during her self-defense lesson, he pinned her face to the matt and wrenched her arm, bending it at her back. "You will let them know that you are capable of hate, rudeness, and cruelty and this will always cause doubt in the eyes of your opponent."
I am a Fierce! Salera opened her eyes and looked him square in the eyes. Her head tilted to the side and stared into the soulless brown eyes.
"My family will come, and you will be shown no mercy."
Suddenly his hand enveloped her breast and squeezed hard as his other hand shot up and gripped her chin and turned her face as he licked her chin dragging his tongue to her ear.
"I'm counting on them coming." He said as he breathed his sticky hot breath against her ear. He shoved her head away after he finished his sentence, stood up and left the room.
~Los Angeles~
Sylar Fierce sat regal looking in his large leather chair. Arms resting on the sides, he stared at every man sitting around the table. The meeting he was attending hardly held his attention. He looked around at the chairs that held the leaders of the clans that dealt with the Fierce family. Yet the only ones that mattered at all at this table were the three chairs to his right that held the triplets and the three chairs to his left that held his other sister and brother. The sixth empty chair, that was always empty, was reserved for the day when the seventh would join the ranks of her brothers and sisters. Their sweet Salera, they did not yet know what she would bring to the family, but they knew she would bring a skill that they all would benefit from.
Sylar recalled the day that they all had decided that she was the one child that deserved some semblance of a childhood; it was the day after their parents had been executed in a viscous attempt to usurp the family from its position of power. They all had looked out for her growing up, the sweet one with her laughter, smiles and hugs, and they would continue to do so for the rest of their days, it was just what the Fierce family did. Therefore, it was decided that they would all move back into the family home, they sent Salera to private school where no one would find her and in the following months, burnt every house, and destroyed every family that had anything to do with the deaths of their parents, to the ground. Their father had been a man not to be messed with, and now, his children were proof that the apple, or in this case apples, did not fall far from the tree.
People still talked of the days that The Seven rose to power, the day that Silas and Diamond Fierce's children came into their own. Sapphire had been viscous in the war against the other clans, not only did she help kill those responsible, but also every heir and those connected. The triplets had made names for themselves quickly after the acts they committed. All who thought to abandon them, quickly returned declaring allegiance, but they were never brought back as close as they once were when their father was in power. They had shown their colors and the Fierce's all took note. They were lucky to sit where they did now.
Sylar smiled in the direction of his sister Sapphire and remembered how divine her planning of siege and war tactics was, much like their father. This only made sense, since she and their father spent hours talking how to carry out this plan and that, she truly was a replica of their father. He had actually taken Sapphire to meetings two years before him with the members of the clan, and encouraged her to voice her opinion at them.
He remembered the day his father told him "Sapphire will be the one to help you conquer all, above all else son, you keep your family closer then close. Whatever problems you all have, they mean nothing and you fix them at any cost, you cannot afford a broken clan. The rest of them can burn, after all my son, hell is only one elevator ride down."
Sapphire met his smile and returned it with one of her own. Her green eyes, the trademark of the Fierce family, sparkled back at him. With her black hair, and iron fist of war, she counseled him when he did not know what to do. He sought her council even when he did have a plan. If he had not been born, she would have been the leader that made men tremble, hell she did it now. Even as the second born, his right hand, she made the members of this council fearful, she was a true Fierce. The kingdom that their father, and the father before him, and the father before him had started over a 100 years ago, stood stronger than ever. Family was its key staple; they could lose fortunes and ground as long as the family came out in one piece, none of it mattered but its blood members.
The butch male next to Sapphire, the third born, was Sayer. He was just as viscous as he and Sapphire, and he loved his electronics but also could make one hell of a boom with his bombs. He was also his sparring partner, which was good because Sayer was not afraid to take a hit or give them for that matter. As he stared at his brother with pride, Sayer met his eyes with the same look; both knew this meeting was bullshit but listened to Sapphire when it came to plans, they all did. It was a meeting to make the other members feel 'safe' from oppressing factions moving in on their territory. Normally he would not take such a meeting but Sapphire had convinced him it was a wise move, in the end all opposing forces would be dealt with, like all the others that had tried to move in on them, both quickly and painfully. He smiled at his brother and raised his eyebrows.
His gaze moved to the right side, the triplets, and his favorite three wily ones. Sarafine, the oldest of the three, she kept her two younger brothers in check, Sable and Sloan. Together the three were the enforcers of the family, and they not only liked their job, they did it very, very, well. They could silence a room by just walking in. If the triplets showed up at your door, then you knew you did something that could not be atoned and you were fucked.
He was just starting to look around the room again, bored with the conversation, when someone walked in. Immediately all conversation stopped and looked at the man that had walked in. It was Bernard, one of their most trusted assistants. He had grown up with them, stuck with them during the rise and fight, and remained one of the few that were most loyal.
"What do you want idiot, can't you see that only seats of power are to be here!" It was the one they liked to call the fat leech, from house Dulver. His face was beet red and sweating.
Suddenly a dagger landed with such a thick thud, inches from where his hand sat on the table, everyone in the room, but the Fierce's, gasped aloud. Eyes shifted between Dulver and the dagger thrower. Sarafine's eyes burned with fire and her mouth was set firmly. Her brothers could only snicker beside her. Sylar smiled and Sapphire coughed delicately into her hand, clearly trying to hide her laughter.
"Call him that again, or raise your voice in that matter towards him again, you will leave this table and never come back."
Dulver quickly closed his mouth as he turned a deeper red.
"What is it Bernard?" Sylar smiled at the man. The quick shuffle that he did, did not sit well with his gut.
The others must have felt it too; they straightened up and looked at Bernard as he hustled towards Sylar. Normally easy going, Bernard looked as though he was about to faint and was covered in sweat. His hand shakily handed Sylar a folded note.
He opened the note and read it. Suddenly his face looked as though he could kill. Folding the note, he looked up at the members of the council.
"This meeting is over, get out." His voice was like flint, cool and with intent.
"Sylar, with all due respect, we have not gone over..."
"I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. His hand slammed down onto the table as he stared down all the men around the table.
"You heard him, get the fuck out gentlemen." Sapphire added with her sweet voice; she smiled at the men around the table.
The men quickly gathered their belongings and bustled out of the room. Fear very apparent on their faces. The five stared at Sylar as they waited for everyone to leave. His hand continued to clench the paper and his eyes grew deadlier by the second. They knew any moment he was going to blow.
"Bernard, please leave." His voice had returned to its cool demeanor but his eyes never changed. He did not even look at Bernard, which only showed his state of mind.
"Of course sir, please call me when you are ready. I'm sorry to bring such news." At Sylar's nod, he turned and rushed from the room.
Once the room was clear, Sapphire turned to him.
"You certainly know how to clear a room brother. By all means, do share what has caused you to be so short?"
He stood up, dropped the note in front of Sapphire, turned and crossed to the window behind him. He looked out the window and waited, his hands folded behind his back. The grey suit he wore suddenly too restrictive.
Sapphire read the note, looked quickly at the others, and back to Sylar. Her expression unreadable, she set the note down and looked at her brothers and sister.
"Sylar…" Sapphire added with uncertainty.
"Tell them." He bit out. After a moment of hesitation Sapphire finally spoke.
"Someone has taken Salera."
If Sylar's anger was palpable, the anger from the others only added to it. The tension would choke anyone, it was so palpable.
Sloan stood up, his aggressive stance would have been menacing to anyone else, but to them, this was nothing.
"Who…has taken…our sister?" he said between deep breaths, his jaw ticked from the tightness that he held it. The vessel just above his eye looked ready to burst.
~Salera POV~
Has it been two days or one? Survive…that is all you have to do. They will come.
The thought rose from lessons of her childhood. She was a Fierce. Fierce's survived all and never left one of their own behind. That alone let her know that her family was coming. She had not checked in and today was day two…or day three? It was becoming lost to her now what day it was. One thing she could count on…they would come, they would always come. Just like she would go to hell for any of them to bring them home.
The man from the first day she woke in this hellhole walked in. She eyed him as he crossed the room and sat at the table.
She eyed him like she could burn him where he stood. The fool, as brash as he is, he stared back at her. She placed every piece of contempt she could into her stare, did he know that he was a dead man living on borrowed time?
"Come now doll, you look at me as though you could kill me with a glance." He snickered and sat at the chair lighting yet another nauseating cigar.
"Oh no, I wouldn't kill you right away. I'd let my brothers and sister play with you first, perhaps you have heard of them." She knew any crime member knew who the triplets were; she started to laugh but suddenly a burst of heat shot across her left eye.
"You fucking bitch, must feel pretty fucking brave now huh?" the smell of his breath was enough to make anyone want to yack up their last meal. Being she could not recall her last meal, she could live with it.
"I don't have to pretend to be brave; do you not know who I am? What family I belong too?" she tried to shove every ounce of bravery into her voice, and steel herself for the repercussions she knew would come. She never played the family name card, but now she had nothing left lose, if he killed her, it was better to know what family was coming after him, not that he stood a chance.
As she had suspected, another slap came across her face making the already stinging eye explode with heat and pain radiating now to her jaw.
A hand grabbed her chin and brought her face back to face his once again.
"I know who you are bitch!" He breathed his hot breath against her face, spittle coming across her face.
"Do you think someone would stupidly take a Fierce and not know what they were getting into?" He pushed her head against the wall and she felt the back of her head knock against the back wall. A feeling of dizziness exploded from her skull and she struggled to maintain consciousness.
Salera struggled to maintain consciousness but managed to bite out before the blackness took her… "You are going to regret this. When my family finds you, I am going to watch as the life drains out of your eyes…" never before had such things came out of her mouth, yet she believed every word she said.
~Los Angeles~
Sapphire paced the great library. It had been a couple of hours since the note in the boardroom. Her mind had been frantic ever since, all her plans. Plans to conquer and punish, yet none of them had mattered until now, now one of their own was at stake. She sat in the oversized chair her father sat in when he made his plans and when she wanted to talk to him about everything and anything.
She twirled her whiskey around in her glass, gaze riveted to the fireplace as the flames danced across the room.
Her feelers were out gathering information on who was stupid enough, to take their sister. The takers had informed them that they had their sister, now it was a waiting game to see what they wanted.
The door opened and Sable walked in. The same height as Sylar, a brick house boxer build, dark chocolate hair, and the Fierce green eyes looked at her. She smiled and motioned to the chair next to hers.
"You look like dad." His baritone voice came across the room and he smiled back at her. He filled his own whiskey glass and sat in the vacant chair.
"I miss him. Do you know how much time we spent here just talking? Dad was brilliant." She looked at Sable with sad eyes and gripped her glass just a little firmer.
"He loved spending time with you here. You are just like him you know, brilliant." They smiled at each other once again. Sable could tell she was tense and torn; Sapphire was always a reluctant sharer so he waited for her to speak what was on her mind.
"I wish he was here now. Sable, what do you think dad would have done?" The fact that she was asking him told him her state of mind.
"Sis, if dad was here, he would burn this city to the fucking ground to find one of us." He brought his glass to his mouth and took a drink.
Sapphire gave a small laugh and took a sip from her glass as well.
"Yeah, he would have."
"Sapphire, we are going to get our sister back, and we will make them remember why they do not fuck with this family." Sable stared directly into his sister's eyes.
"It's like dad always said, hell is only an elevator ride down." With renewed purpose, Sapphire started to devise her most viscous plan yet.
"So what are we going to do, you know we look to you when shit hits the fan." Sable took another drink, although he would not ask for it he was looking for reassurance, reassurance that they were going to find her and win.
"We're going to burn it all to the fucking ground my dear brother."