PROLOGUE.

(TRIGGER WARNING; THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS THE MENTION OF BLOOD AND GORE IMAGES. )

4 years ago,

MIA VULCAN.

"What is the occasion, Dad?" I ask staring at the different delicious dishes arranged on our dining table. This never happens in our house. We survive on outside dinners and takeaways because no one bothers to cook in this house. Maybe if Mum was more of a family person, our house would have felt homely.

"I wanted to surprise you and your mum honey, it's been a while since we had a family dinner. I want to make this a normal thing from now on" he says handing me plates and I gently arrange them on the table

"I'm sorry to say this, but you know Mum doesn't care, right?"

"It doesn't matter sweetheart, I will be the one doing it"

Speaking of Mother, the front door opens and the queen herself walks in. Her six inches stiletto noisily click on the floor as she takes careful steps toward us. Today she wore all red. From the little red dress that is tightly hugging her perfect body, to her long red-painted nails. Her blonde hair is hanging in thick waves down her waist and I must say, Mother is a beauty.

She's the VULCAN'S family Queen.

Like always, dads eyes adorably stare at her. Completely awed at the woman he chose for himself.

Mother is not left out either, her steps quicken, and wide grin forms on her red-painted lips when she spots her lover.

"I missed you" she exclaims falling into dads arms, who was readily waiting for her. Quite dramatic if you ask me. They are practically together all the time, and it has been only 3 hours since she left to run some errands. I am sure if I don't intervene this dinner will be long forgotten.

"The food is getting cold Dad" I remind the man who is currently grabbing her ass, as their lips collide in a hungry kiss. I will never understand adults. They do this all the time. Don't they get tired or at least mind the third person in the room?

The woman groans sending me a glare and I roll my eyes at her. Bitch.

"Always ruining shit for me" she mumbles heading upstairs probably to change. I quickly face the kitchen counter to hide the tears welling in my eyes. She hates me.

My mother doesn't like me and she does nothing to hide that fact. She didn't want kids, but because she loves my dad so much, she decided to give him one.

She treats me more like one of her workers than her daughter, and I had to get used to it.

" I love you, honey, just ignore her okay" Dad whispers grabbing my shoulders and turning me around to face him." She promised me she will try, give her time okay?' I nod even though I have heard that excuse all my life.

"I am here and I will always be" he pulls me in a hug and I tightly hold him. He is the opposite of his wife. He has always been here every step of the way. I'm glad he cares.

"Alright fam, let's get sitted" she mumbles behind us and we slowly pull away. Due to Dad's good mood, he sent the boys and all the workers to their families. He said they needed a day off too, so the house is only occupied by the three of us.

"Thank you for doing this for us babe, we rarely eat homemade food " Mum gratefully mumbles and I wonder why she can't spare me a little love from what she gives my dad. I would have thought that maybe she's not my mum, but the resemblance between us is undeniable.

I'm like the young version of her. I have her green eyes, our skin complexion are same and if I didn't dye my hair silver, it will be blonde right now,

" Mia," she calls drawing me out of my depressing thoughts. I furrow my brows at her in response because she never addresses me by my name. It's like she hates it too.

" I am sorry, I just don't understand why I can't feel the bond like a mother should, but I promise to be less bitchy, yeah?"

I glance at my dad trying to hide the shock in my eyes, what happened today with all these surprises? Dad nods at me and I glance back at Mum who is expectantly waiting for my response.

For the first time in my thirteen years, she smiles at me and it triggers all kinds of emotions in my heart. I want to hug her and feel the warmth of a mother, but I know I can't overstep my boundary. So I just nod and look back at my plate.

In the middle of the dinner, a knock sounds at the door and we both share confused glances.

" Probably one of the boys, I will get it" Dad is about to stand up but Mum beats him to it. She is behaving differently.

"I will do it, honey, " we watch her head to the door and nothing could have prepared us for what happens next.

They say in the mafia world, you should never let your guard down. Dad sending everyone away was a mistake he shouldn't have done.

Secondly, we should have never sat at the table and left our weapons in our rooms. Lastly, Mum should have never gone to open that door completely unarmed.

It's never safe. Even being in your own house.

Armed men in dark attires walk in pushing Mum along with them.

Dad can never stand seeing her hurt, and like he is expected to do, he grabs a kitchen knife and starts trudging towards the crowd, but looks like today is not our day.

"Hands up Vulcan, or your bitch loses her head" the unknown voice shouts stopping him dead in his tracks. His worried gaze lands on his wife who smiles lightly at him. She is trying to encourage him but we both know how this is going to end.

We don't stand against almost twenty armed men. Also, they have Mum in their grip with guns pointed at her and it is dads weakness. He can't think past her getting hurt.

"Where is it?" the man shouts at my dad who has an unwavering gaze at them.

"I don't know what you are talking about" Dad answers with the same strict voice and that is yet another mistake. A bullet goes off and the next thing I know is my mother's body slumping on the floor.

No.

This can't be happening, I stare at mums writhing body and my heart breaks. She is still my mother. Dad gets more distracted and I know if I don't do anything, it will be the end of us.

"Let's try this again, where the hell is it Vulcan?" He shouts again and kneels down next to her. The man presses his gun on Mum's head and I can't let him harm her anymore. I don't know what he wants from my dad, but I also know they will still kill us even when he tells them.

I sneakily grab two knives from the counter. Thank God their attention is not on me, or they think I'm harmless. I take in deep breaths reminding myself of her endless teachings. Opening my eyes, I instantly aim at the man's neck. She always says that your main interest should be their weak points.

I take their distraction to my advantage and lunge to the nearest man. 'It's not about strength, but determination and the will to live' she always said. I kick the gun out of his grip and when it falls on the floor, I beat him to it and start shooting. ' Speed will give you a second longer to live'

'Avoid hesitations at all costs'

The sounds of bullets intensify and I'm glad Dad regained his composure and joined me.

As I predicted, today is not our lucky day because when I run out of bullets, a rough hand grabs me by my hair and tosses me next to Mum. Dad immediately gets inattentive and a bullet hits him but he is not willing to go down yet.

"Stop" Another man from the group shouts again, and the few men remaining cease the firing. I guess he decided to take their leader's spot.

"We didn't come to play Seb, hand over what we want or watch your princess die" A gun is pressed on my head but it doesn't faze me. Mum used to remind me that in our world, death is inevitable. So when it comes, we should embrace it because fear won't change shit.

Dad's resolve almost wavers when he looks at me but I slightly shake my head at him. Today is not my day to embrace death. I'm determined to live through this nightmare. I am not dying at thirteen.

I close my eyes and take deep breaths. I thank heavens when I open them and spot a dagger in the man's boot. Without thinking twice, I snatch it and bury it deep into his balls. His scream resonates in the whole house and it triggers others to start shooting at me but Father is alert enough to offer me cover.

I pull the dagger out and repeatedly plunge it into his stomach until he stops moving.

When the bullet sounds die down, I look up to see my dad's bleeding body slumped on the floor and my heart sinks. I can't lose them. My mum is almost bleeding to death and I rush to her first

Her breathing is forceful and loud. I quickly cradle her on my lap in worry. " Why mum?" I slowly whisper releasing the tears I have been holding " Why didn't you fight?" I know mother. I have seen her in action multiple times, and there is no day she lost a fight. Today she didn't try, mum just surrendered to death without raising a finger.

"My ...baby" she forces out the words, stretching her hand to touch my cheek and I quickly help her do it. This will be the first time she is showing me love and I can't let it slip away.

"Why?" I repeat struggling to see through my hazy sight. The tears are too much. Don't mention the extreme ache in my heart. " I had to...he, he" She coughs out blood and I hold her tightly to my chest. I don't mind the blood draining my clothes, she is my mother. Her hand on my cheek starts to shake violently and I burst out in another fit of cry.

" No. Don't do this to me, I will find help." I whisper standing up but she doesn't let me. She stressfully grabs the necklace on her neck. The one she has been wearing from the day I was born. It's golden and has the words queen boldly imprinted on it.

" Take....and find ...him. I.. love..you" Mother stops moving and I release the loudest scream I can muster.

'Find Him'. Who am I supposed to find? And why didn't she fight?

She is gone.

It fucking hurts.

The sound of groans reminds me of my dad.

Oh, Dad!

I quickly grab the necklace and rush to him. He is brutally shot in both of his limbs and it makes it impossible for him to move.

" Dad," I cry kneeling next to him. His eyes are open and full of tears. He knows she's gone.

" Let's go, I will bring you to the hospital" I try grabbing his shoulders but he is too heavy for me. He will bleed to death if I'm not careful.

" Baby go, it's too late for me" he mumbles and that's when I smell it, the smell of petrol and smoke

" I Can't," I mumble holding his shoulders with all my might, and start dragging him towards the door.

Determination to live.

I keep chanting the word as I drag my dad with me, ignoring the sound of his painful grunts.

Before I could reach the door though, the smoke becomes too much. It causes my lungs to burn, and my vision to blur.

"Save my dad please God" I cry tiredly slumping down next to him. I have no more strength left in me to move.

Who sent those guys? And what did they want? The only thing I recognized about them is the similar scorpion tattoos on their wrists.

The "Him' my mum referred to, is he their boss?

As far as my determination goes, I also know I can't fight fate. So I finally take my mother's advice and decide to embrace death. 'It's inevitable in our world' she always reminded me.

Before losing my conscience. I spot him in the thick smoke.

Walking towards us in his dark outfit. A gun in his hold.

My godfather.

*

Authors note;

If you are reading this, thank you so much.

I hope you are going to stick around to the end.

Welcome to Mia's and Rico's story.