All right of the characters (except Gracelyn, Alla, and Nik are mine.), setting and plot, all belong to Ally Carter and everyone else who help her write the series. The series which this fanfic is based on.
Warning: This will have minor to major amount of cussing/swearing. There might also be talk of murder. Read at your own discretion.
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Bonfire, Bullets, and Secrets
Alexei POV:
I stare at the person that had just spoke. She came early, she wasn't supposed to be here until the end of this month. That was a week away.
" Why are you back early Alla?" Her grayish blue eyes look into mine with so much amusement.
" Well maybe I couldn't wait until closer to my younger brother from another mother's birthday. Maybe I wanted to see you and some of your friends." Alla is Nik's older sister, and she always looked at me like another younger brother. She was one of the people that if we are having some trouble with authority in some places, she would fix the issue. In other words she goes to make sure no one is going against us. She has been in Russia close to the Siberian border for the past three months. She was coming back for the rest of this year, and going somewhere else after.
" Speaking of your friends look like they are waiting for you. Who is the blonde one?"
" Which one?" There were two blondes over there, Rosemarie and Grace. Expect if she was talking about Rosemary she would be backing down at her age.
" The only one that is really staring over here, she is cute tho. I wouldn't mind if she keeps looking." I turn around to see which one was staring, should have known it was Grace. The thing was Grace was Alla's type, yes Alla is a lesbian, and no I don't judge. I mean before when we were younger I had a crush on her, but that was pretty far in the past. We were each others first kiss, we laughed about it, because she was more of a sister to me, that I realized. She likes to say that the kiss help her find out she only like girls.
" That's Grace, and Alla please no." Alla's face lights up at the statement, like she just sloved a mystery.
" Ohh...does little Alexei have a crush perhaps?" She grabbed my hand and started towards the group.
" I want to meet them, but especially I want to meet this Grace." I have never seen Alla act like this, even about a girl. She wasn't the type to go and meet anyone, even if I said we are friends. Like she wasn't like this with Gracelyn and even Noah or Lila, when I talked about them. But I do have to say she always wanted to be the first to see any girl I get close to.
We reach the group and Megan was the first to speak up.
" Who is this, Alexei?" Before I could udder any word, Alla pushes in front of me.
" Hello, my name is Alla! I'm Alexei's friend, or sister from another family. Who are you all." She looked straight at Grace after introduction, indicating she wanted Grace to go first. Grace on the other hand was staring into space. I reached over and lightly touched her arm, and that pulled her out and back to us. She looked around confused and then caught on to what she needed to do.
" Ummm... I'm Grace" Her eyes catch with mine like she was looking for someone to help her. I felt bad for her, I know she probably didn't want to come in the place. It pains me that I do have a crush on her, but I possibly could never be with her. For me I'll possibly have to keep the true blood, meaning be with someone of full Russian heritage. They would never allow a American to marry me.
" Alla, maybe we can hold off on the introductions until they are necessary." Alla noticed at that, that she was making Grace uncomfortable. I know she feels bad, even if it was very minor. She didn't like seeing a girl, especially a girl that is her type. She doesn't like seeing it on them, even if they aren't into her.
" I sorry that I was a little too out there, I was excited to meet Alexei's friends. I have been out of Adria for awhile, and back in time for this guys 20th next month." The day that I will (if I go through with it) become the leader of the Mafia. Something that I know they all have been possibly waiting for. Except then the other side of my self will be out a lot, and I don't like it as it is. I'm just scared that if it is out more than it is now, I'll hurt people I care about. The Russian Ambassador always said in this job, sometimes Mafia life and normal life get mixed all the time.
Before anyone could answer a gunshot rang out. By Alla's expression that wasn't Lila shooting blanks this time. I looked around and at the edge of the crowd stood two men, one had a girl held to his chest. Human shelid or hostage. Also he looks familiar but from where? People have cleared out except for Noah, Megan, Rosie, Lila, and sadly Grace. They all for some reason were still standing near me and Alla. When I look behind I see two other guys standing there. That's the reason they didn't leave. Shit, Alexei stay calm, don't get out of control.
" Ohh.. Mr. Volkov glad see you again." I finally pinpoint where I have saw him, he was the one from the deal a couple hours ago. The one that I cut his face, he wanted revenge before they left for the U.K. and it's not going end well for him. Alla taps the back of my arm, I look slightly towards her. That's when I feel the cool mental of a pistol slide into my hand. Looks like she came prepared for something like this to happen. I left my weapon with Nik because I didn't think this would happen, but I should have thought better. I looked at everyone around me before stepping forward.
" This is between you and me, you don't need to bring other people into this. Let the girl, and these citizens around me go, and we'll settle this peacefully." The man started to smirk, like he was in total control, ohhh can't wait to teach him a lesson.
" You can pick five people to leave the rest will just have to sadly stay here." Four so Grace, Rosie, Lila, Megan, and that girl in his hold. Noah can handle himself and I'm pretty sure he would want all the girls out, before he even gets a chance.
" Everyone except the boy and the girl directly to my left leaves, that includes the girl in your hold. if I have to elaborate that means all the girls except this one." I cocked my head towards Alla. The guy released the girl and Noah motioned for all of them to leave but Grace stayed put,she didn't look like she was think of leaving.
" Grace you got to go...please." I went to her and placed a hand on her arm. She looked up into my eyes, I saw determination and stubbornness in her eyes. This is going to be hard trying to get her away.
" I'm good right here."
" No your not, go with Megan."
" Alexei."
" Grace." She was really pushing my buttons right now.
" What will get you to leave right now?" I looked at the guy, he looked like he was about to run out of patience.
" An explanation of you being in this."
" Later okay... I'll explain later."
She finally nodded and walked to the edge of the hill, and with one last look at me she disappeared down the hill. I was breathing heavily trying not to lose control. Alla saw what was happening with wide eyes. Noah was too busy looking at the guy to notice.
" Was that your little lover Mr. Volkov? Am I going have to keep her under our watch? Come on tell me how important is she to you?" I know what he was doing, trying to get under my skin. I knew I should have killed him instead of just torture him.
" How about we do something Mr. Volkov. Lets do a little leader against right hand, who doesn't win, meaning they get killed. There people stand down and die along side them. Is that fair?" That smirk shows up again and now I'm tired of it. I have tried to hold it in but now I can't anymore.
" You have yourself a deal, Mr..."
" Ferns."
" Right. How is this going to go?"
" Let's do a little bit of a standoff shall we, like in the old times. Expect we don't have to go back to back we can just stand right where we are. How about our comrades go to the side." He really wants to get me mad does he? Alla and Noah go a few feet to my left and his men including the two behind go to his left. All we have now is the two of us. I'm actually glad that Mikhail trained me on quick reflexes a lot growing up. They are now like a second nature.
" How about the girl with you, count us down from 5 to 1, hmmm?" I look towards Alla and she looked scared mostly because my life was on the line, she could care less about hers. She nodded to me, and I nodded back quickly.
"5." Look Ferns straight in the eye.
"4." Grip tightens.
"3." Breathing slows down.
"2." Red curtain drops.
"...1." My hand shots up and the trigger is pulled. Pain was felted in my arm. I look at it lucky for me it deeply grazed my arm. I look at Ferns and he is laying atop the dirt ground, dead." Deals a deal right? I look at the four men staring at their "fearsome" dead leader. He probably filled their heads with promises of winning against me, ohh did they get a damn good wake up call.
" Kneel all four of you now." They all dropped to their knees quickly. They look like they wanted to be far from where they are now. My gaze shifts to Noah, and I now he doesn't need to see what is about to happen.
" Noah you can leave if you want, or you can stay if you want too, but I highly suggest you to leave."
He looks down at the men and back up to me, his face almost looks like he is enjoying this.
" I'll stay and watch, you said that I can get the benefits without doing anything, I'll watch this one time. I have to see what work goes into these benefits." By the time he was done with the last word he was smirking. Not a Noah thing to do, with being happy to see someone suffering. That is when I finally decipher the look it his eyes. He is trying to be a bad ass in front of these men before they die.
" Noah don't try to act the total opposite, for how your are, just leave."
" B-but... I-I'm going to sta..."
" Noah, last chance to walk free, without seeing, now go." The visible relief that washed over his face, made me laugh a little. He walked briskly down the cliff out of sight, without even giving a glance behind him. Alla was smirking while looking at the spot Noah was at last.
" He is a funny character, isn't he?" I didn't answer, I just turned to the four men kneeling. They all where in a nice little line. The red curtain was still down, and I felt it through my veins. I don't hesitate I shot the man in front of me. Good now one to my right and two to my left. I slowly walked to the man on the far left of the line. I raised my gun to where it was pressed against his head. I look him over and see that Alla must have tied each of the men's hands behind there backs. I smirk at him as he squirms under the gun. They all are adorable when they do that.
" So tell me who knows out of the four of you, who agreed to this little shit show first?"
" The one you shot was the one who said he'll go first." The man under my gun blurted out.
" Look at me. What's your name?"
" Ethan."
" Now Ethan, are you telling the truth? If you aren't then your little brain will be blown to fucking pieces. So think hard if that is your final answer you want to say to me."
" It is the truth, Mr. Volkov."
" HE IS LYING!" The man on the far right yelled. " Ethan was the first to agree, you said that you couldn't wait to see the russian's Prodigal Son lay lifeless in his own blood." Well this just got interesting, didn't it?
" Now...now... Ethan is he lying or is he telling the truth?"
" He's lying I was the forth to agree!"
" Alla who do you think is telling the truth?"
My gaze went to my side, where she was standing. Her eyes were narrow while looking between the two. Alla was the one that read speech patterns and body language, like she was reading a book. Alla was the one that could tell if someone was lying, me I still needed to learn a little more on how too.
" ' The one is telling the truth, that Ethan is the liar' ". She spoke in Russian. She nodded her head towards Ethan, like it is was obvious.
'Bang!'
Ethan's body went limp and fell onto the other lifeless body right beside him.
" Congratulations you two, on making it this far. Now all I need to figure out is, who will I allow to go and tell there worthless boss what happened?"
'Bang!'
The man second to the right, his body falls lifeless. The brief look of relief washed on the last man, but it was quickly removed.
" What's your name?" I ask, the red curtain was slowly being pulled up.
" Grant."
" Well Grant, my commrade is going to untie you , and then I expect you to go straight to your boss. Do I make myself clear?" After Alla was done, he stood up slowly and nodded his head vigorously.
" Yes sir! Mr. Volkov sir!"
" Well go then." I wasn't even done with the last word, he was already on the move. Alla moved to rest a hand on my shoulder. The look she was giving me was the 'I am concerned about you' look. I shook my head softly, a headache is creeping it's way in. Once I get back to the embassy I'll take some medicine and lay down and rest. Alla started to lead me towards the decease of the hill was. We got to the gate of the wall, when I heard something moving behind us. I quickly turn, pointing my gun at the person making noise. I wince while doing so, that headache set in fast.
" Put the gun down, would you?" The tone of the voice makes me freeze. The smirk on the person's face stopped me also.
" Nik, what are you doing out here?"
" Some scouts were doing patrol when they heard gunfire, and saw a mass of people running down the hill. They contacted the boss and he sent me and Mikhail out here to investigate, he doesn't know you're out here in the middle of it. What happened anyway?"
" The guy I cut his face at the shipment earlier today. He apparently found out I was going here and decided that him and five other men where going try and kill me. It failed as you can kinda tell, and now him and four of the men are dead."
" Where is the fifth then?"
" Delivering a massage to Mr. Haines, that he should keep his men in line more."
" Well at least you weren't hurt badly, or at all. I tried to get that Noah guy, and the rest with him to leave but, they wouldn't listen."
" Where are they?" All of them probably where waiting for Noah, and he probably told what was going on.
"There down by the walls entrance. I told them if they weren't going leave might as well, get out of firing range. Said you would be pissed if at least one of them got hurt." I nod a thank you Nik, and start walking down to the entrance. They should have left, gone home but they didn't. I have a feeling I know who proposed they stay there.
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Hey What's up! So this was a annoying late chapter. My deepest apologies for that, the next chapter is already in the process of being edited so that should be up shortly. I'm about to start school again, don't go back until the 8th. School preparation period is in full swing so... you know.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter it took three rewrites to make it happen, but we are here. Stay safe, and I hope to see you all in the next chapter.