Chapter 4

Preethi's POV

“Preethi.” I heard a voice call for me. I stirred under the covers, turning my head away from the sound.

“Preethi”

“Mm!” I groaned in protest.

Whoever is waking me up this early, better prepare themselves to be attacked.

“Preethi come on. You have to get up.” The person argued. I didn't respond and I was about to fall back asleep when I felt covers being ripped off of me.

I sat up in the bed fast and made my eye contact with the monster also prevented me from getting any further shut eye. Luella.

“What the hell?”

When I sat up, I instantly saw that Aziel was not sleeping by my side. Is he really mad at me? Don't think about that right now, Preethi.

“Sorry but we have to train today. Last time didn't go right and you'll need the training not that we know Jordan is after you. He's bound to try something again so you need to be prepared.” She shrugged.

“Meet me in the gym when you're done.” I groaned and dragged my body out of bed. Was all she said before leaving out the door and down the steps.

I walk into the bathroom, washing my face and brushing my teeth, before I pull my messy hair into a pony tail. I walk back into the room and put on some black fights and sports bra from my drawer. I slip on some sneakers and start to make my way to the basement gym.

Walking down the stairs, I pass by Kendric.

“Hey, Kendric!”

He looks at me and his cheeks, instantly go read. He turns away and goes down the hall.

“Preethi”

Strange. What his problem?

I make it to the bottom of the steps and I glance to the living room and see covers and pillows folded on the sofa. Did Aziel sleep down here?

I shake the thought from my head. I need to stop thinking of him and focus on learning to fight. As soon ad I open the doors to the gym I see Vius and Luella sitting on the ground by the gym stretching.

“Well, look who finally decided to join us.” Vius greets me.

“Nice to see you too, Vius.” I roll my eyes at his comments.

I joined them stretching and soon Vius and I are in the ring and I move into position. Luella sitting on the sidelines.

“Three, two, one, begin!”

Vius starts towards me and I pull my hands in front of my face to prepare my self. i glance down at his feet and see him lift his leg up. I quickly duck under and when I stand back up I punch him in his side.

“Ahh!!” He exclaims.

“Come Vius, she's a beginner.” Luella yells.

He pulls his left arm back and bring it towards my face as I block it with my right arm and hit his chin with my elbow. He stumbles back and I inwardly congratulate my self for getting him two times in a row.

My celebration is short lived when he catches me off guard and kicks me in the rib cage. I fall to the grow and he attempts to repeat the move but I grab his leg and push him to the ground. He falls beside me and I climb again on the top of him, striking his face again.

“Fuck, Preethi.” He covers his nose and taps the ring. I immediately get off and put my arms in victory.

“Yes! I won! Ha!” I do a short dance before Vius is replaced by Luella and grab a small drink of water before she is in position.

“Vius, might've been easier to beat but I won't go down as easy.” Luella smirks.

“Hey! I didn't even try that hard. I put in like 50 percent. If I was going to fall strength, I would've won.” Vius argues.

“Whatever.” Luella says, dismissively.

Vius counts off and a soon as he screams 'begin', Luella launches at me. She jumps on me, causing me to fall back and I hit my head on the floor of the ring with her sitting on me. She throws a fist at my head but I move it to the right just in time. I hit her in the stomach with my elbow and she falls backward and off of me.

I don't waste my time in crawling on her and grabbing her in her side. She grunts and punches me in the face. It stings but I can handle it. I know she's not putting her entire power in her attacks, just because it's me she's fighting.

I wish she would treat me like a normal opponent but I know what I am far from it.

I strike her in jaw and she releases another grunt before pushing me off her and trapping me under her arms on the ground.

I struggle to move and a few minutes later, I give up and tap my hand on the material underneath me.

“Ugh, you win.”

She's smiles triumphantly, taking her weight off me and climbing out of the fighting ring.

“I knew I would.”

I roll my eyes and follow after her.

“I'm starving.” Vius says.

“Vius, when are you not starving?” Luella says, laughing.

“Shuttt up.”

All three of us make our way to the kitchen for something to eat, having worked up a big appetite. I notice that after having being in the gym for two hours, Vius still hasn't shown up. What is his problem? He can't possibly be this mad at me for not saying any thing. I may not want to admit my feelings just yet but that doesn't mean I don't want him around. He can't just avoid me like this. I sigh. Jesus, where is he?

Boom! Boom!

I jolt awake in my bed and looking around to figure out where that sound came from. It's still dark outside and Aziel isn't sleeping next to me which isn't new. He's been sleeping in a different room for the past week, trying to avoid me I assume.

My heart immediately starts to beat faster once I realize that I'm done. I hear shouting outside the bedroom door to peak outside the hallway, I see dozens of stranger dressed in black, about to come up the stairs, holding guns. Holy crap. What the hell is going on?

I put my head out farther, my eyes going to the door that's on opposite end of the hall and far from stairs. Aziel's room. I can hear them clicking their bullets in a place as they take a safety off. I take what could be my only chance to get to the another person and dart as quickly and quietly as I can, down the hall to Aziel's room. I burst through the door and close it behind me.

Turning around to see Aziel, Timea and Vius standing before me. They each had guns in their hands. They were talking amongst each other but stopped when I walked through the door. I ran up to Aziel and wrapped my arms around his neck, breathing in his familiar scent of after shave and cologne.

“I was just coming to get you. Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He asked me, pulling away to look into my eyes. My eyes were scanning the room in panic, trying get a grip on the current situation. My mouth was gaping and I felt like I couldn't breath.

“Preethi look at me. Breathe.”

He grabbed my chin, firmly and forced me to look into his eyes. His eyes were slightly darker and his dark green eyes, I felt myself slowly calm down. He nodded.

“God. I need you to be calm if we're going to get out of this. Now, are you hurt?

“I'm okay. What's happening, Aziel? Are we going to die?” I shook my head.

“No we're not going to die. You're going to be okay, alright. Just listen to me.” He took my head in his hands. My hands went to his forearms.

“You're going to go with Vius and Timea and you're going to sneak down to the basement. Go into the cell room and you're going to lock the door behind you. Don't open anyone except me.”

“What, no. What are you talking about? I'm not going to anywhere. Who are those people, Aziel?” My gripped tightened on his arms.

“Preethi just stop asking fucking questions and just do what I tell you for once. You need to go now!” I shook my head 'no' but he pushed me into Vius arms.

Vius grabbed my arm and begun to drag me towards the door.

“We have to leave, Preethi. They're coming soon.”

Aziel quickly pulled me back to him and connected his lips to mine. It was a fast but passionate kiss which told me that there was a chance I might not see him again. Before I had any chance to respond, he pulled away and nudged me towards the door.

“Go.” Was all he said before Vius tugged me out of the room and down the hall. Timea following, closely behind us.

“They are at the bottom of the stairs how are we going to get to the basement?” Vius whispered to Timea.

“My dad built a secret hallway for emergencies when we moved into his house. It leads to the gym and from there we can get into the cell room. It's Inezz room, behind the book case.” She explained.

I was half paying attention to my surroundings and half watching the door at the end of the hallway to see if Aziel would open it. He didn't. Timea guided both of us to passage way and as we made our through a scream cut of the air and more guns were fired. I wondered if one of those people were Aziel.

We went past the gym and when we entered the cell room, Timea pressed her thumb on the door knob and it scanned her fingerprint. The door opened and she rushed us inside.

“Stay in here until Aziel comes. Kendric and Luella afe getting back up from an ally of ours and Aziel is going to find Jordan.

Timea and I are going to help him once we get you safe okay.

“When we leave lock the door behind us with your fingerprint it's already in the home system.”

“I want to help. I'm a part of the gang too, aren't? I'm not some useless little girl that can't help herself why can't I fight with you guys? Why do I have to wait in here for someone to come get me?” I argued.

“We know you're not a little girl, Preethi. It's just better not to risk you getting hurt. Which is a high probability when you've only practiced fighting twice. Plus, Aziel would be pissed if we took you with us. It's just better for everyone if you stay here.” Timea reasoned. Vius went out the door searching for ant intruders. He gave Timea a look and she moved closer to the door.

“Be quiet and try not to get yourself caught.”

I rolled my eyes as she shut the door and my thumb went to knob to lock it. I heard two beeps and the knob turned red.

Looking around I decided to sit on one of the chair in a cell,waiting as the sound of banging and bullets filled my ears. My chest going up and down at a fast rate.

After about forty minutes of waiting I heard shooting die down and a few seconds later I heard a grunt thay sounded like it was in the basement living room. The grunt was loud and came from a deep voice. I recognize it instantly.

I instantly ran up to the door and put my ear against it. I could hear another voice in the room with him.

“Where's is she, Rowan? Non place that you can find her. Leave Preethi out of this. This is between you and me, Jordan and not her.” His voice scratchy and loud.

“She's involved in this just as much as ylu are.” He responded.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Aziel was angry, you could hear it in his voice just how much he wanted to rip Jordan apart.

“You know what you did! You ruined my life! You took her and my gang.” He argued, his voice growing louder.

“This s my gang, Jordan. He was my father--my blood-- not yours. If he was your family, you would've had it. ”

“I almost did! I had been kissing his ass for years trying to persuade him to hand over his legacy.

But as that fucker laid in his death bed, I knew he was going to give it to you and he did. You don't deserve to be leader and you never will. You were always a spoiled child. But me being the forgiving person that I am, I was willing to let it go and I even put it past me for a few years. I even became your friend. Until I laid my eyes on the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. Preethi was so vibrant and young. Her amazing curves and her gorgeous eyes and her spicy personality. She was everything. I loved her more than anyone I ever loved, and she didn't know me get but I planned to make her mine.

Watched her everyday leaving for school and returning to her dorm just to make sure she was safe. But then of course, her foolish drunk of a father had to go and gamble with her life. You just had to accept his offer. And then Preethi joined the list of all things you've taken from me. Bitched jumped into your filthy arms faster that I could blink.

“You're fucking crazy.” I heard Aziel growl.

“I may be crazy, but you're about to be dead.” I heard a gun click in place.

My eyes widened and I opened the door quickly to stop the man. I screamed.

“Stop!!!”

They both turned over to me, fast and I saw the panic in Aziel eyes before I heard the gun in Jordan's hand get off.

“Preethi,” I heard Aziel shout.

Aziel pulled out his gun and shot Jordan four times straight in the head. He fell fest. I stood stock as everything felt like it was going in slow motion. I looked down at my stomach and touch the stain of blood that was spreading. The red liquid now on my hand.

I saw Aziel in front of me now, screaming at me but everything has blurred and I felt like I was underwater. I collapsed to the rugged floor and started at the ceiling, Aziel in my peripheral vision. He was still yielding at me. My eyes suddenly felt heavy and guest thing I know my vision was blinded by white that started to surround me.