Chapter 1
Kirill
Four years later
The scattered silence was deafening.
Yet I could almost feel the weight of spirits guiding the way, the church almost lit entirely by candlelight providing a mystical, otherworldly atmosphere.
While primarily family, there were a few members sitting silently in the pews, those deemed important enough to take a place near the King of Vipers.
At least that’s the way I’d come to think of my best friend and Pakhan, Kazimir Chertov.
While he was often called D’yavol by his enemies, in my mind he was far too charismatic to be the devil.
Although there’d been times as of late I might disagree.
Working within certain provincial limitations had presented demanding, even dangerous issues we weren’t accustomed to handling.
Not that any level of violence bothered me, but in a world where mistakes or weaknesses meant defeat, every decision made required clear and precise calculation.
As I walked toward the front of the church, I was struck by the beauty of the facility.
Men with violent professions weren’t frequent visitors to places of worship, thought to be far too evil for salvation.
My gaze swept the surroundings, not only in my position as commander of the Chertov soldiers but also allowing a moment to bask in the majesty of design and architecture.
On the outside, multiple onion-shaped domes representing the saints glittered against the skyline while inside, the artistry was a magnificent display of true Eastern Orthodox beliefs.
There were treasured icons everywhere, even those separating the altar from the nave.
Even in an empire where violence and bloodshed were merely instruments of commerce, wealth, and power, the church embodied every spiritual tradition.
I walked closer to where Kazimir stood in a classic dark suit, his face beaming with the reverie of the moment. His half-brother Stash stood by his side, his face grim in comparison. The younger Chertov had yet to earn his full place within the regime.
Kazimir had his hand on a little boy’s shoulder, his son Sasha appearing wide-eyed but very much a young version of the Pakhan.
As I approached, I felt a weight on my shoulders, not from the necessity of keeping the family safe, but of the honor bestowed on me by Kazimir.
What the hell did I know about being a godfather to a baby? Jesus Christ, I was sweating like a pig, the collar of my shirt chafing my damp skin.
However, even the mere thought of denying Rafaela and Kazimir was akin to the worst betrayal.
A deep, ragged exhale heaving my chest, when I was finally in place, the priest moved slowly toward the chalice-shaped vessel, which was already full of holy water.
He nodded to one of his deacons, who opened a door on the side, allowing for Rafaela and Artemus to enter.
Seeing Golden Angel, the family Golden Retriever, flanking her side, I was struck by how traditional both the moment and the event truly were.
There was a place for men in our dangerous, violent world to fall in love and nurture a family, including man’s best friend. The pup was with them every hour of every day.
Although a relationship created in love wasn’t advisable, women considered the ultimate weakness for a man, used by enemies as a tool for bartering. Usually without a positive outcome.
The practice wasn’t advisable for other reasons as well, including the life expectancy of those within a crime syndicate. Plus, women were far more intelligent than men, easily capable of seduction for information or assassination.
That was a subject not to be discussed today. This was a celebration of family and life.
My shirt collar was still too tight.
I folded my hands together as Kazimir’s wife approached, her serene face glowing in the flickering candlelight. She only had eyes for the man she so adored, the electricity flowing between them enviable.
Even a confirmed bachelor such as myself would be lying if I said I didn’t long to have a woman look at me with such clear adoration in her eyes.
And Kazimir? He’d lost his mind over her one hot summer’s night in Italy.
As the priest began the ceremony, I took the opportunity to quietly scan the church. There were soldiers posted outside, a few others inside the church as well, although they’d been kept to a minimum at Rafaela’s request.
Even though she was well aware of how Kazimir handled business as Pakhan and even after being betrayed by her own father and godfather, she believed in the symbolism of the Divine Womb.
As well as ensuring there would be someone to care for her growing family should anything happen to either her or Kazimir.
Morbid but also necessary. So here I was, ready to accept the duties.
As the family gathered around, including their closest friends, I felt a sense of pride as well. After everything the two of them had gone through, the peaceful moment was everything they needed.
However, as I was still on duty, I continually scanned the perimeter, including the balcony, which held one too many shadows. With at least a dozen entrances into the massive church and surrounding buildings, unless I’d positioned a full army outside, there’d been no perfect methods of protection.
Fortunately, the invitations had been done privately, very few given access to the celebration.
We were locked down tight inside, an armored SUV waiting to return the family home. Still, I wasn’t comfortable being in the open. There’d been two attempts made to end Kazimir’s life in the previous months, likely from disgruntled Russians in other Bratva.
At least according to Kazimir.
I wasn’t one to set my beliefs on any one entity. There was too much at stake.
With a quick nudge from Kazimir’s elbow and a chiding look tossed in my direction, I was forced back into the moment at hand. Grinning, I nodded in respect to Rafaela first before acknowledging my acceptance of the important role in the child’s life.
At only one month old, the baby was so tiny. The first time I’d held the little tyke, I’d been frozen, terrified I’d drop him. A memory I wasn’t certain I’d share when he grew older.
With various prayers given, the priest guided the family to the vessel of water. Soon, I found myself relaxing, even daring to think about the possibility of having a child of my own one day.
Rafaela kissed Artemus on the forehead, her soft crimson lips staining his skin. The child’s father squeezed his little arm, so obviously proud of his boy.
Even Sasha was enthralled, standing up straight in reverence as he’d been taught to do.
Kazimir stiffened, which caught my eye. When he lifted his head, so did I, scanning the balcony.
I’d generally been damn good with my instincts and right now, they were screaming there was about to be a bloodbath.
“Prignis’!” As soon as I shouted get down, gunfire erupted. I threw myself toward Kazimir, knocking him to the floor while two of my men rushed toward Rafaela and the two boys.
Hissing, Kazimir pushed me off, instantly reaching for his weapon as I’d already done.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
The dog started barking, immediately guarding Rafaela.
What the fuck? With no shots heard from outside the church, that meant the person doing the shooting had hidden inside long before we’d arrived.
People started running for the exit, the booming sounds of their feet echoing, their movements making it impossible to hear anything but their panic.
“Get my wife and children to safety,” my Pakhan snarled, the command meant for me alone.
Soldiers burst in through the doors, clearly confused as to what the hell was going on. I frantically scanned the balcony, trying to detect any movement.
Another two shots were fired, a soldier instantly slumping to the floor.
“Fuck.” I backed away, trying to keep an eye on Kazimir and his family. The Pakhan had no interest in staying out of the fight.
The gunfire echoed with the high ceilings as every guest scrambled for cover. While chaos could easily reign, we were used to being attacked. So were my men who rushed toward the balcony where the shots had come from.
“Mama!” Sasha screamed.
“Take the Pakhan and his family to safety,” I ordered Grigor, another trusted soldier the family could count on.
“There was no sign of any disturbance outside,” he insisted.
“Yeah, I’m sure.” There was no time to lament. “Go. Go. Go.”
Pop! Pop!
More gunfire erupted from the back. A scream was followed by a brutal thud, at least one of the guests down.
I moved toward Rafaela while still scanning the upper level. The eerie glow from the candles created shadows, but my vision was twenty-twenty. A slight movement and I pointed the barrel of my weapon.
A split second before I pulled the trigger, a shot was taken by the assassin.
I could almost feel the slight breeze as the bullet whizzed by.
And I felt the horror nearly paralyzing Kazimir as he struggled to reach his wife and children while being dragged to safety by men who’d been trained to do so.
There was no second guessing. I threw myself over the water vessel, wrapping my arms around her and the boys just before all three of us dropped to the cool marble floor.
The close proximity of the gunshot created an intense muting of every sound, the entire moment shifting into slow motion.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
The rapid gunfire brought a sudden, terrifying silence.
In slow motion, I pushed my hands against the floor as Kazimir scrambled toward me, seeing exactly what I was seeing.
A pool of blood.
* * *
While the afternoon was sunny, even warm given the time of year, Kazimir sat bundled in a heavier jacket than usual. Granted, he was seated outside, something he’d been doing a lot more since the attack. It was his way of finding some sense of peace when there wasn’t any to find.
At least that was my opinion.
I stared out the set of French doors while Grigor looked on.