The Shadows

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Adriano and his father were talking to his aunt and uncle when Annabella said that she had to use the restroom. He didn't know why, but he had a gut feeling that something was about to happen and decided to let her go.

It may have not been the best choice, but if they were to get attacked in there, she would have a better chance of escaping. She walked off and Adriano turned back to his aunt and she had unshed tears in her eyes. He always knew that when they got her back, it would hit his Aunt Celeste the hardest.

She had always wanted to have a little girl. They were going to keep trying, but while giving birth to Dante she had some complications and the doctors told her if she got pregnant again, it would most likely kill both her and the baby. It was a sad time because both she and Mario wanted to have a large family like him.

After about 15 minutes, there was still no sign of Annabella being back from the restroom. Adriano went to tell his father but the lights were turned off and there was a spotlight pointed at the doors that were at the top of the staircase. All of the mafia members pulled out their guns and aimed at the door prepared for an ambush.

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When the lights were turned off and a spotlight hit the doors at the top of the stairs, Celeste knew that Annabella had something planned for her Shadow persona. She swore that girl couldn't go a day without doing something dangerous.

She knew Annabella becuase she would help clean Annabella up after her fights if she happened to be near the place that she was when she had overnight business trips. Celeste had met her one night when she was walking around the streets of London. It had just been after her fight and her knuckles were busted up pretty bad.

She was in an alleyway trying to wipe the blood off enough so that she could get back home without people noticing her and asking questions. Celeste had seen a bit of herself in Annabella. A lost soul trying to find its place and emerge from the shadows that held it down. She had her face covered, but Celeste walked up to her and offered to help her clean up.

After that day, Annabella called her any time she needed to be cleaned up if she knew that Celeste was in town. The only thing she had used to identify her was the tattoo on her left shoulder.

Annabella kicked the door open, wearing a black dress that screamed danger. Help them if Annabella's father ever found out that she was the Shadow. One might wonder how her father hadn't noticed that the Shadow was her? Well no one could see the one on her shoulder because of her hair.

"Well hello there De Luca family! How amazing is this ball. It has everything. Drinks, food, music, and traitors! Oooo isn't that exciting? Now let's take some guesses who the traitor is and what mafia they are from shall we?" Annabella said in a different voice, due to the fact that she had on a mask that changed her voice.

Everyone was on guard now that she had shown up. They had a bounty on her head because she killed someone before the boys had a chance to get information from them. What would they do if they found out that it was their sister and daughter who did it? They might actually have a heart attack.

Oh this was liable to be a disaster.

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Annabella looked around at her father's mafia and allies. They really thought that they could harm her. Yes, she knew that she was cocky, but she had to be. The underground would have killed her the first time she had stepped foot into the dark life. It was survival of the fittest there. One misstep, and you were dead.

"Oh, so no one is going to answer?" Annbella yelled angrily. Yes, she might have been a tad bit psycho, but it was a part of the package that came with the wonderful Annabella. When in her Shadow persona, she liked to toy around and play games with her prey. Like a cat and mouse.

Annabella looked around and everyone seemed to be afraid of her. Good. She was always to be feared. Everyone should look over their shoulders when they heard her name.

"Hmm... if no one is going to guess I will have to pick," She said while pouting. "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe I choose you!!" Annabella sang while pointing at a random member of the mafia.

Everyone seemed to tense up because of the person she had picked. He hesitantly stepped forward and looked towards her father.

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The Shadow just had to show up and interrupt his princess's ball tonight didn't she? Speaking of his princess, where is she? Last Stefano had seen her, she was heading towards the bathroom. He hoped that she was safe and no one was trying to harm her.

The Shadow picked out one of his lower ranking members to play the sadistic game of hers. Stefano did have to admit that he was curious to see who the traitor in his mafia was. He would ensure that they had a gruesome death. No one messed with the Italian Mafia. Well until the pesky little Shadow showed up.

They had been trying to find out who the Shadow was for a couple of years. It is like she doesn't exist. Stefano came out of his thoughts to hear someone talking about the Russian mafia.

"U-u-umm... I don't k-know. M-maybe the R-russians?" His member stutters pitifully.

"Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner. Now will you bring out the traitor." She exclaimed excitedly.

Lord help whoever the traitor is, because the Shadow was actually crazy.