THE MAFIA'S BEAUTY

Chapter 70

Everyone was gathered at the assemble square, I could hear the noise from where I was, could hear the laughter as if this was a birthday party. I could barely see a thing, heaving like a dog for I was something I could not recognize. I was something I was scared off, he had trained me and I had turned to the thing he had trained me to be. It seemed like I was walking in slow motion, each step I took my body shook my hands in fists wanting nothing that to pound on something, I felt lethal, felt feral for I was barely holding my sanity. I walked seeing the figures yet not faces, it was just a mash of orange and black. I climbed on the podium they had set with two people standing there. I could not see who they were but knew one of them was Rafael. I stood watching but not seeing as they talked, standing was something I could not do so I paced, I paced around the stage and in my head hummed a song. I did not know what the song was at the point, it was a song I knew but could not tell you which one it was.

I hummed it in my head, feeling the anger boil over, feeling all the pain I had been holding boil over. I was ready for this, I was ready for this.

"Hey," Came a voice, my arm pulled having me snap out of it. My feet came to a halt, my eyes finally clearing as they focused on a face.

"Alex," I said, I was truly happy he was here, somehow he being here made me feel better in a way, maybe he would stop Rafael from this craziness. The smile broke through as my arms went around his neck. He went stiff before his arms slipped around my waist.

"Guess what I got you?" He asked as I narrowed my eyes on him.

"I told you not to bring me anything."
"Well, I got you a car, it was too beautiful just like you." I could not even react, too shocked to say anything yet this was not the time.

"Thank you Alex," I said as he pulled back nodding his head. He himself was wearing just like everyone else. I let go of him, my eyes falling on Rafael who stood waiting for us to be done while the men just stared thinking of how with us leading them they would probably die but if only they knew, the men that stood at my sides were the worst of the worst, unhinged they were the most horrifying killers. I stood, staring at all the men who were going to fight, they stared at me wondering what the hell I was doing here and quick to dismiss. I turned, staring at Rafael.

"Can I say the speech?" I asked.

"What speech?" He asked back.
"War speech or whatever you call it." I said.

He smirked.

"We were not going to say a speech but go on." He said and that was all I needed. I stepped up.
"HEY!"  I shot so loud, having learned from last time. This was not a welcome party, this was a goodbye party and there were no smiles to spare. I waited for the noise to die down, walked up and down the stage with my hands to my back. When there were only whispers I looked up at all of them.

"Today we do not fight," I said and there were protests, some even laughing.

"Today we kill!" I said with everyone going shut.
"Time to fight is over. We kill everything that is not wearing orange. I don't care if it is walking, running, flying or crawling. We kill everyone and leave no one. They wanted a fight and we will give them that, they wanted animals and today we will give them animals. Time for feeling is over, for it is either us or them. Now I don't know about you but I have a daughter to get to and I don't want to die. I want you at your best today, leave all humanity here and lets kill some people!" I shouted with the crowd erupting in a roar. I was heaving, I was heaving so hard as I pulled my gun, raising it in the air. Blood would spill today, bodies would drop and I would fight until I took my last breath, I would fight for my family, I would fight for my friends and my home.
I took a deep breath, a song erupting as the whole crowd went moving with such energy. I took a step back, falling in line with the others as they came making a circle. I looked up at the two men standing in front of me wondering what they were about to say.

"We just got word." Alex said, his face one of seriousness having my heart nearly stop thinking of Red.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Klaus aligned with your brother." The words were like a wall hitting me so hard. I stood staring at them in disbelief. How could he? How could they? I could not believe this, could not think. My father's cartel had been the largest in America and if he was here be sure he brought more than five thousand men now add Klaus's men and Elijah's. We were so outnumbered they would take an hour to wipe us out. My whole body shook not knowing what to do, the anger slipping away leaving me with fear and nothing else.

I shook like a leaf, seeing my death at my door, if my brother was fighting then there was no way he was letting me live. I shook, I shook so bad and Rafael was quick to grab and hold me.

"You can hide Lethu, you can hide in one of my secret passages and after a day or two come out. You don't have to do this, I won't let you die." He said, his words so desperate having me stare at him with such desperation showing even in my eyes. I wanted to hide so much, wanted to hide so much but that would mean he would die and I could not leave with that. I could not hide like a coward, I would fight for the people I loved for no one would fight for them.

"No, I am fighting." I said, my voice shaky yet I stood my ground.