Our Flame

ii

NIKOLAI

"You'll die if you keep doing that, младший брат." Luka points to the cigarette in between my fingers.

translation: little brother

I shrug continuing to smoke. "At least switch to weed." I chuckle at him. "We're all going to die one day, Luka." He rolls his eyes taking a seat next to me.

"I miss her too, Niko." Luka sighs. I shake my head, I lost my twin sister and my mother all in one day.

The only difference is there's a small chance I'll see Nadia again, as for my mother I'll have to wait a lifetime.

"Yet you all want to stop looking for her." I finally put out the cigarette. Luka closes his eyes, as if he hates that I brought it up. "It's not like that."

I scoff, "It's exactly like that, you all made a decision that the second I turn eighteen we won't look for her anymore." He opens his mouth to speak.

But I continue, "It's like you don't even care about her anymore." I shout before I head inside.

"Seriously Niko, you know I care about her." Luka yells following after me. Our other brothers stare at us, watching the scene unfold.

"No you don't- look at yourself. You're so ready for us to stop looking, aren't you?"

Maybe I shouldn't have said that but Luka isn't the one dealing with the pain of missing a twin.

His look of shock morphs into anger. I don't want to fight my brother, "Luka I-" I'm cut off as his fist connects with my cheek.

"You lost a twin, okay? We all fucking lost something that day."

My brother isn't abusive or cruel, we grew up hitting each other. As we got older the hits just less common but usually happen when we argue.

I wipe the blood from the corner of my mouth. "I feel like I just walked into something I shouldn't have." Gianna enters the room.

"Let's hope my little brothers can keep it together. What is it Gianna?" Aleksi asks anger evident on his face. Aleksi hates when Luka and I fight while Vadim could care less.

If anything he promotes us hitting one another.

I go to the freezer grabbing an ice pack while Gianna talks. "Viktor sent this while he was at work." She passes out files. I look at her confused.

"He'll be here soon."

"Stop staring and open the file." Gianna orders. I roll my eyes, everything leaves my mind as I open it. It's Nadia, and our pathetic excuse of a father.

"When did you get these?"

Vadim speaks up, "All of them date back to no later than two months ago." I look at him wondering how he knew that. I look around the table no one seems confused but me.

"It's Nadia, but she's under a fake name." Aleksi points out.

"Anastasia Blackwell."

I read out loud. "How do all of you know this?" I ask. "Luka found the first picture then we all did some digging and we found her." Gianna explains. I look at Luka.

"You're welcome, little shit." I get up going to hug him. "Thanks for not giving up." I mumble. Luka shakes his head, sitting back down.

"Yesterday she was involved in a house fire.." We all turn to look at Gianna. "She's in police custody right now."

"I have a friend at the police station in Portland and from what he's told me, your sister's badass. I can't wait to see her again." Gianna smiles.

Then I smile, the first real smile since I lost Nadia. At first it was hard, I didn't want to talk to anyone. I wanted my twin back.