Aslan's POV(WAIT TO PLAY SONG NOW)
Her bright golden hair was tangled and matted in her own blood. Her bruises were all the shades of the rainbow. More blood was smeared on her pale, almost lifeless skin. She had rope burn on her wrists and ankles, the looks of it made my stomach sink. She looked like she had walked through hell and back.
But she still smiled at him.
She smiled at him like she wasn't in any pain at all. Like this was just another walk in the park.
Even when she had just been stabbed and was seconds away from breathing her last breath, even when he was on the brink of full-on panic, she still laughed at him and said "Someone's in a rush."
And when she said that, he rolled his eyes and smirked as if she had eased all panic in him with one phrase.
I think she knew that he was scared. Scared that she would actually leave this time, although he didn't show it.
That's why she hid her pain. Hid that she wanted nothing more than to close her eyes, cry, and scream.
That's why she laughed and smiled at him. To calm him.
Yes, my daughter was in love.
The kind of love that was so destructive and deadly to even themselves.
A familiar love. The love that I had lost but still remembered. A love that was destroyed by the man who sat, bloody and bruised, in front of me.
And so I would protect my child's love by getting revenge on mine.
His nose was broken, dislocated, courtesy of Lucas who was now at the hospital. I would be there too, but the doctors said she would be in surgery for a while. If I were there, all I would be doing was pacing, stressing, and thinking the worst. So why not take my worry out in a different way?
More members of the Bratva came to New York a few days ago, in case we needed back-up. Surprisingly, I didn't call them here, they all came willingly.
Ariella had already earned the loyalty and respect that most spent years working for. She earned that respect and loyalty when she went face to face with the man who single-handedly ruined everything. The man who killed her mother and took her from her home. The man that killed the Bratva's queen and the Mob's Reina.
And she wasn't just respected...she was admired.
Admired for doing it all without stooping down to Malakai's level. Without stooping down to the mafia's level. She did it all legally and hurt no one but herself in the process.
And I was proud of her.
"Come to rub salt on the wounds?" Malakai sneered. I walked around his chair as the chains rattled every so often, the bright lamplight above his head...dangling like a knife. The only source of light in the room was that golden lamplight, its light not providing any warmth against the cold draft of the room.
The concrete was stained slightly in red and so were the solid walls. I rolled up my sleeves as I walked to the table behind him, full of the tools Cameron had sprawled out with a few extra special ones.
Clearly, my daughter found a man with extensive knowledge in the fine art of torture.
Good.
"I'm contemplating between vinegar or lemon juice actually,"
"I recommend salt. It's what I used on Ariella. I used lemon juice on Stella. She didn't scream as much as Ariella did with the salt," he smirked, and all-to smug look in his eyes.
My hands froze from where they were tracing the knives and devices.
I knew he was just trying to push my buttons but it worked.
Suddenly the torture devices didn't seem as appealing anymore.
My hands seemed better.
~
After holding a heated iron rod to his back, branding him with the Bratva's seal, I got Tobias to help me dislocate some more bones in his body. I was in the middle of cutting off his fingers when I got a call from Mila that Ariella got out of surgery.
I couldn't help think the worst.
~
My parents, Mila, Tobias, Lucas, Leo, and Cameron all stood in front of the doctor. She didn't look the least bit fazed that mafia members swarmed the hospital.
"She's going to be alright," she spoke with a small smile.
All of us seemed to un-tense in utter relief. Although, Cameron seemed to say as stiff as before, not relaxing one bit and taking that information as reassuring.
"She was a fighter, that's for sure," the doctor spoke as she wrote down on the papers.
"The wound went through her left Kidney and caused some internal bleeding. She went into shock during the operation and seized and her other injuries sure didn't help. We were able to get her stable and close up the wound," she began
"As for her other injuries: 4 cracked ribs, 2 bruised ribs, a bruised spleen, and lung. A grade 3 concussion, a sprung wrist, a torn ACL, and a shattered fibula on the same leg. Other mild injuries include excessive bruising, cuts, and scratches that luckily didn't get infected. She's severely dehydrated and has put her on a tube to get some food to her stomach since there is some internal bruising around her esophagus,"
The room seemed hot as my fists balled.
I didn't torture Malakai enough.
But she's going to be okay.
"No harsh activities for the next 8-12 weeks and around week 6, she'll be able to eat solid foods but only liquid until then. She'll be on crutches but I would keep movement to a minimum," she finished.
"Can we see her?" Cameron asked, face stern and body still tense.
"Yes, but one at a time. It'll be a few minutes before she wakes up," the doctor spoke as she gave us a reassuring nod and walked away.
Cameron's POV
My legs were already moving before I commanded them to. I opened her door slowly and my breathing slowed when I looked at her.
White bandages covered her fair-tanned, smooth skin, hiding the colorful bruises and bloody wounds. Her blonde hair was now clean and back to its silky and voluminous state but still sprawled out on the white pillows. The paper-like bedsheets covered her small frame up to her shoulders, revealing some of the bruising on her neck and jaw. Little places like her temple, cheekbone, and eyebrow were tinged in a slight yellow bruising. Some cuts on the side of her lip and jaw were beginning to heal with the clear ointment that was applied on them.
She was still the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
I walked up to the side of her bed as quietly as I could, pulling up a chair, and placed my hand gently on her hair, moving it away from her face.
Her eyelashes began to flutter as she slowly opened and released an audible grimace at the dimmed lighting.
My lips curved upwards as I pecked the bruise on her temple gently. The corner of her lips twitched upwards as she lifted her hand and put it on mine.
"I feel like shit," she whispered, her voice dry and gravelly.
I huffed a laugh as she opened her eyes. They were no longer dull and turned into their bright evergreen sparkle.
"Stop looking at me. I look like shit," she muttered as she did her best to turn her head away from me, a scowl on her lips.
"Grumpy puppy," I teased as I moved her face back to me.
"You do not look like shit. If the doctor didn't say "no harsh activities," I'd fuck you right here-"I started before she cut me off as she placed her hand over my mouth.
"Pervert," she sighed with a disapproving look with her hand still over my mouth.
I bit the skin of her palm teasingly, making her pull away with narrowed eyes.
"What? I would," I smirked as I kissed the hollow of her throat.
I totally would.
"You're impossible," she laughed. I smiled against the crook of her neck as she played with my hair, slightly tugging and twirling the strands almost making me fall asleep.
"When is the last time you slept?" she asked me, her hands massaging my scalp.
"When is the last time you slept? The surgery doesn't count," I retorted.
"Fair enough," she smiled as I sighed against her neck, my face buried and fully prepared to fall asleep.
"We could sleep right now," I spoke, my voice rumbling against her skin as I smirked.
"I don't think your version of sleeping matches mine," she spoke, sensing my little hint.
"You have such a dirty mind," I started, teasingly scolding her. She scoffed, tugging on my hair a little more making my whole body relax but tense at the same time.
"I was going to say that we could sleep right now, but you have a whole little league soccer team waiting to come to see you," I finished.
She hummed in acknowledgment as I lifted my face from her neck and getting up.
"When you get back, I expect a burger," she spoke seriously.
"The doctor said only liquids," I retorted, crossing my arms.
"When did you start following the rules?" she whined, throwing her hands up in the air.
"Since you scared the absolute shit out of me," I argued.
"Don't you think I deserve a burger?" she asked, giving me pleading eyes.
"We'll see," I smirked as I walked out of the room.
3rd Person POV
Cameron walked out of the room and to the awaiting "little league soccer team."
"How is she?" Lucas asked him.
"Salty that she doesn't have a burger and complaining that she looks like shit," he replied, his body relaxed and his face features less stone-like.
"So nothing has changed then," Leo chuckled. Cameron nodded as he ran a hand through his hair, walking away.
"Where are you going?" Leo called at his retreating frame that was already halfway down the hall.
"Going to get a burger," he yelled back.
~~~~~
Aslan waited outside the door for what seemed like forever. His heart beating out of his chest.
His daughter.
Alive.
The only thing left of his passed wife.
His daughter that was hurt by his mistakes.
Would she ever forgive him?
With a deep breath, he slowly and softly opened the heavy hospital door. The lights were dimmed, and in the bed was a replica of a younger version of Stella with blonde hair with a small smile on her face despite the pain that was coursing through her body.
"I was wondering when you'd come in," Ariella Volkov spoke softly with a light laugh. She'd see the shadow of his feet from the crack below the door and knew instantly who it was.
Yes, a replica of Stella indeed.
As if he was looking into Stella's emerald eyes, his warm oak eyes welled up. Here, now, his daughter who was shy of a year old when she has ripped away from him... was now a woman. A strong, brilliant, woman.
A successful adult who fought and survived.
An adult who got back up when she was pushed down.
She was grown now...no longer a baby and in need of protection from the horrors of this world.
She didn't need her father now.
Right when he found her, she didn't need him.
But she was everything he'd ever want in a daughter. He couldn't explain how proud he felt, how his chest was a bit more puffed out when he said that she was his daughter. How proud and undeserving he was to be her dad.
He couldn't do anything but stare as a smile, small but proud, spread on his mouth as a tear fell down his face.
Then her eyes welled up as well.
"I knew I wouldn't last this long without crying," she laughed as she sniffled, holding the side of her palm to the edge of her eye in an attempt to soak up the tears.
Looking at him, she began to think of what her life could've been. She would've been happy, wouldn't have to be taking the pills. She would be loved and strong. She would have her mom again.
But that was a long-gone possibility.
There was only now.
Looking into her real father's warm oak eyes, she knew that he loved her like a father should love their child. She knew that he was the exact opposite of the man who raised her and who called himself "her father."
Her real dad would have given her the world and been disappointed that it wasn't enough.
Her real dad would have hugged her, because to this day, she had never been hugged by a father figure. She'd been hugged by one parent in her life, and that was cut short.
She wanted a hug.
She wanted to be told that she had made him proud.
She wanted a dad.
She wanted a parent that was alive.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, clenching his jaw and looking away like he had committed the worst crime known to man.
"What for?" she asked, swallowing down the lump in her throat. He stood by the door, unmoving almost as if she would break into a thousand pieces if she stepped closer.
He looked at her, saying in his head: "Isn't it obvious?"
"For letting him take you two," he spoke, his voice ashamed.
"He told me what happened. I don't know if it was the real truth but I didn't sound like it was your fault. There was nothing you could do," she said, knowing well that Malakai told her the hard truth.
And every word she said was the truth.
She moved her hair to the side, showing the pea-sized scar on her neck. The scar that Malakai had given her that stormy night.
His body froze in its place.
He didn't realize that it was deep enough to scar.
Scar a baby.
Oh yes, he was livid now. He hadn't tortured Malakai enough.
"And I know that if he gave me this then it was definitely not your fault," she said, her tone light-hearted as she covered up the scar with her hair.
"Did you kill him yet?" she said after a few moments of silence.
"If anyone has the right to do that, it would be you but we are all perfectly fine letting him rot in prison if you want to do it that way. I'll be with you if you want me there," he told her, his voice utmost reassuring and fatherly.
After a few moments, he finally moved, taking a seat next to the hospital bed.
"So A.L.G?" he smiled.
She leaned her head against the pillow and laughed.
And it could've been hours in that hospital room, but they never knew it. Because they were making up for the lost time. He wanted to know his daughter and she wanted to know her dad. Although he never admitted it, Ariella could tell he was a fan of A.L.G as he subtly asked if one of the characters was going to make it to the end. They even agreed that she'd visit Russia, her birth country when she was better. And after a while, Oksana and Roman got tired of waiting to meet their granddaughter and Mila and Tobias felt the same but with their goddaughter.
Then Leo and Lucas joined after Lily scolded Leo and Cameron for not telling her what was going on in the waiting room. When they came back into the room, their heads were hung low as Lily waltzed behind them after releasing their ears. After almost hugging Ariella to death, she scolded her too.
~~~~~
6 months later.
Ariella was all healed now, bruises faded and she started feeling close to normal.
Her dad and new family stayed in New York, making the excuse of getting to torture Malakai some more but they all really just didn't want to leave her.
Cameron became an absolute mother hen, not letting Ariella out of his sight for too long, picking her up when she was walking more than ten feet, only letting her eat healthy foods and liquids as the doctor instructed. But after grumpy puppy eyes, he finally caved and got her a burger and a chocolate milkshake. And eventually, Cameron's protectiveness helped her heal a couple after she got out of the hospital.
But today, Ariella woke up and decided that it was time for Malakai to get what he deserved, to be gone from their lives.
But not before talking to him first.
~
The trusted members of the Bratva gathered inside the warehouse where Malakai was being tortured.
They all were ready to send Malakai to prison.
Cameron, Leo, Lucas, Mila, Tobias, Oksana, and Roman all were in the room where Malakai was. The reflective glass was the only thing between them. They saw him but he couldn't see or hear them.
Malakai looked like a monster straight from hell.
They couldn't even recognize him. He was skin and bones, pale and bloody. His bones protruding and his hair falling out. His eyes bloodshot, most of his teeth and fingers gone, as he was inched in blood. He looked gory like he had crawled out of a horror film. He took wheezed and heavy breaths, like an otherworldly creature.
Aslan and Cameron hadn't tortured him enough.
No amount of torture could be enough.
They all waited for the woman whose wish was to talk to him, one last time. They weren't even sure it was going to talk back. Or if he was even able to.
(PLAY SONG NOW)
They didn't have to wait any longer when Ariella Lilac Volkov-Dark walked into the room, her eyes malignant and her aura demanding submission.
They all watched her change over these past months. She'd become sterner, more stone-like. She was determined to not let anything or anyone hurt her ever again.
She nodded to them with a reassuring small smile, telling them silently not to worry and this would be over sooner than they could imagine.
She just needed to speak with him and get the last word.
Ariella gave a comforting nod to her husband, telling him that she would be fine.
Yes, the ceremony was small with only their closest friends and family there. A small court marriage with a little reception. She had been so shocked when Cameron led her under an oak tree while they ate their ice-creams, and hid a bright diamond ring at the bottom of the cone, protected in a white napkin.
Cameron nodded back before she entered the dark room, the yellow lamplight above his head the only light.
She entered quietly, her steps barely even noticeable as she sat down in a chair in front of him.
They were both aware of the eyes that watched and listened behind the reflective glass.
"Y-you h-he-healed well," he wheezed out, his frame almost inhuman. His mouth spread into what was supposed to be a sneer but looked painful instead.
"You haven't," she smirked. He grimaced as he looked back down.
"H-ere t-t-to put the do-dog d-down?" he stuttered, sucking in air in between each word.
"You can call it that," she responded.
"Then w-w-why are you h-here?" he wheezed.
"To let you know that you tried and failed. To let you know that I won after you called me worthless," she told him, utter calmness dripping out of her words.
She seemed too calm.
He huffed in acknowledgment.
A few moments of silence passed, the only sound being his heavy breathing.
"Did you know that 50% of psychologically abused children and 36% of physically abused children grow up to be killers?" she spoke, leaning forward, her elbows on her knees.
She reached into her jacket,
Pulling out a heavy gun.
"Why did my mother have to die when you get to survive?"
"It just doesn't seem fair,"
She laid the gun at his feet, walking behind him to untie the ropes.
She then sat back down in front of him as he stared at her blankly.
"There is one bullet. Use it wisely because it can't go for us both," she spoke, leaning back in the chair.
Bending down, he picked up the gun and tested the weight of it.
Not even a second later he raised it at her in a quick movement and pulled the trigger.
But no bullet came out.
He kept pulling the trigger, over and over again as he began to yell indecipherable words.
She just sat there, calmy and unfazed.
He was still yelling and screaming, trying to pull the trigger when Ariella leaned forward yet again.
She blinked once, then thrice.
As she pulled out another gun from the other side of her jacked, calmly and swiftly.
And fired.
But this time a bullet came out.
Straight for Malakai Wylan Volkov's head.
Blood dotted on her face in small speckles as she smirked and leaned back in her chair as Malakai's body fell limp, his eyes wide open as blood spilled out from the hole in his head.
Ariella Lilac Volkov-Dark's eyes lined with an unknown emotion. They weren't even sure if it was even an emotion.
Because the most purest person had taken a life.
And she enjoyed it.
A venom began to leak into her soul...so sour and bitter that it made her soul echo.
Her bright, pure green eyes had turned into a wicked meaning. Whether it was greed or rebirth, she was not the same. Whether it was pessimism or superficiality, she was not the same.
She finally indulged in the sour taste of sin.
And she had loved nothing more.
For it tasted like sweet wine, like silk down her throat. It was like golden champagne urging her to drink more and more until she had alcohol poisoning.
Because this was her first kill...
Among many more.
With utter malignant eyes, blood dotted on her face and replaced her freckles. Then her heart grew less innocent, less pure.
If you looked close, you could see the stain of black on her once-golden-heart.
This was the story of how she became the villain.
This was the story of how she indulged in the darkest sins.
The end.
~
(A/N): WD-3818
AHHHHH, AND IT HAS COME TO AN END.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU READERS FOR VOTING AND COMMENTING, I READ EVERY SINGLE ONE!! AND ESPECIALLY A BIG THANK YOU TO THE READERS WHO CAME FROM "KING." IT MEANS THE ABSOLUTE FUCKING WORLD THAT YOU ALL SUPPORTED ME THIS FAR AND I CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN IT.
I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!
-Rosecinc <3