This took me a few days longer to get out than I expected. Sorry for the wait, but it's up at last!

Ezio POV

They stopped on the way back to the house at a stand that sold fruit caramelized in sugar. Ezio bought one of the sweet treats for Horatio and one for Alessandra. They continued slowly, Horatio asking questions of Ezio and the assassin responding as best he could.

Horatio had quickly gotten used to the idea that Ezio was an assassin and now wanted to know everything about his profession. He wanted to know how many people Ezio had killed.

Too many to remember the number.

Had he ever killed anyone famous?

Ezio had to smile at that one. Yes, many.

Did he kill people who got in his way but weren't trying to stop him?

A strong no. He would never kill and innocent person on purpose.

Had he ever killed any innocent person on accident?

"Horatio, you must understand, the life of an an assassin is a difficult one. I do not hurt anyone beside my target and any soldier who gets in my way. However accidents happen and I cannot always avoid injuring a civilian, even killing them. I do not however go around murdering people. That is not the duty of an assassin."

After that Horatio asked no more questions, limbs lapsing into silence.

They were nearing the house when Ezio placed a hand on Horatio's chest, stopping him. He listened, blocking out the sound of the wind, a dog barking, even a wolf howling in the distance. After several second the sound that had stopped him in the first place repeated itself.

Muffled screams.

His heart nearly stopped in a wash of dread.

"Horatio, I need you to go somewhere for me."

The silent child held his gaze steadily and waited for instruction.

"There is a building called the Rosa in Fiore, have you heard of it?"

Horatio nodded, making a cupping motion in front of his chest and a kissing face.

"That's right. I need you to go there and find a woman named Claudia. Show her this." He handed Horatio a throwing knife engraved with the symbol of the Assassins. He then gave the boy a light shove to set him on his way. After a moment of hesitation Horatio took off running.

In the span it had taken Ezio to send Horatio to safety the screams had died away. Ezio allowed one of his hidden glades to slide free and he entered the house.

Dull thuds were coming from Alessandra's room and inside he found a scene that set his blood boiling and made his vision flood red.

Raphael was standing over Alessandra, panting like a horse, while he kicked her repeatedly. A stream of curses and insults were streaming from his lips, along with a fair amount of spittle.

Alessandra lay on her side and seemed to be unconscious. Ezio moved up behind Raphael and smashed an elbow into the back of his head. The beefy young man yelled in pain and stumbled forward. A heavy foot crashed down on one of Alessandra's and and Ezio heard a sickening crunch as several bones snapped.

Ezio's hand darted forward to snatch a handful of Raphael's hair and he wrenched him backwards. Using the young man's weight and momentum to spin him around and propel him into the wall adjacent to the one he'd had Alessandra pinned against.

Raphael hit it with a dull thud and slumped. Ezio was on him in a second, blade retracted but fists balled. He threw rapid, brutal, punches into Raphael's unprotected face. The apprentice tried to bring his arms up to impede the strikes but the enraged assassin wouldn't allow it.

"E-Emilio?" came a weak voice from behind him. He paused in his beating to find Alessandra looking at him with swelling and slightly glazed eyes. She had been awake after all. Ezio forced himself to stand away from Raphael and go to the young woman. She tried to smile when his face came into view but the expression looked twisted when mixed with blood and bruises.

"I thought I wasn't going to get to see you again." She whispered. She lifted her unbroken hand a fraction of an inch and Ezio clasped it in his own.

"I'm here now. Don't worry, you're going to be alright." He said tenderly.

There was a groan from behind and Ezio turned to see Raphael trying to rise. His eyes hardened in anger and the assassin moved to finish him off for good, but was stopped by the desperate clutching of Alessandra's hand.

"Please Emilio." She whispered.

"I'm not going to kill him." Ezio ground out, the words tasting like lead drenched in serpent's venom in his mouth. Alessandra looked reassured and released him, slipping back into the glassy eyed state.

Ezio turned and his expression morphed into a stony mask, barely concealing the rage beneath.

Any man who would do such things to his family was lower than dirt to Ezio; lower even than the Borgia trash that he fought. Family was the only thing that one could count on, more important than money or land. Raphael Carracci had destroyed his and now Ezio would make sure he could never hurt them again.

He snatched the front of Raphael's tunic and hauled him to his feet. Raphael could make only sounds of resistance as he was dragged from the house. Ezio once more threw him against a wall, this one outside.

He triggered a hidden blade and the weapon slid from its concealment on his wrist. Raphael's eyes were unfocused and Ezio slapped him a few times to draw his attention. As soon as Raphael seemed conscious enough to grasp his situation Ezio pressed the blade against his throat.

"I should kill you." He hissed. "God knows I want to kill you." He pressed the blade closer, scraping it across the skin just enough to draw a small amount of blood.

"I could slit your throat right now, leave your body as food for the wolves and not lose a second of sleep." A wolf howled as punctuation to his sentence and Raphael flinched in terror.

Every fiber of his being wanted to do just that, but instead Ezio released the blade and allowed it to slide back into hiding.

"You will live, only by the grace of your sister. She still holds some love in her heart for you and has begged for your life." With these words he spun Raphael until his back was to the street.

"If I ever see you again, or you come near this family I will not show such mercy a second time. You have my word as an Auditore." He threw Raphael into the street and returned to the house, not bothering to watch Raphael scurry off into the darkness.

Much shorter than last chapter! Woohoo! Thanks to birdymain for several reviews and thanks for the continued support of my readers. Must also say to my beta: YOU ARE AWESOME! I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO WITHOUT YOU!