AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Looks… weird,” she says, picking up the bottle and examining it closely.
“No weirder than what we’re about to do,” I assure her, turning away again and going to the dresser by the door. Inside the top drawer, there’s a stick of incense. It’s from Russia, and we only use it for any important ceremonies held within the Bratva ranks.
I pick a long stick from the bunch, returning to the table and handing it to Lily. “You can hold it while it burns. It might distract you from the blade.”
She lifts it to her nose and sniffs it. Then, her eyes light up and she looks at me. “This is what Dimitri smelled like. And you! I was wondering, because it was the same thing I smelled on both of you.”
“It’s used by practically everyone in the Bratva. Every ceremony requires it,” I explain, pulling out a lighter and holding it to the end of the incense stick. “As per the rules, no ceremony may go beyond the burning of one stick.”
“Sounds like a scrum meeting,” she replies with a laugh.
I raise an eyebrow, confused as to what she’s referring to.
“Oh, it’s like a work thing. In some workspaces you have daily meetings, and they’re not supposed to go past a certain amount of time,” she explains.
“Interesting…”
“Well, they’re not really that effective. I like your incense idea better,” she adds quickly.
I shrug, taking the dagger and opening the bottle of vodka. “It’s not my idea. The rules have been around for centuries.” I pour the vodka over the blade, coating the shiny silver metal entirely and dousing the tabletop in the process.
“Get the tip, too,” Lily says, pointing at it as the incense burns in her hand.
I shake my head, but pour a little extra onto the tip of the dagger. “Alright, that’s good enough. It’s just a small cut, nothing crazy.”
“I’ve come to expect the unexpected in the Bratva,” she replies.
I’m sure she won’t expect what’s coming next, but I admire her confidence. It’s nice that she’s bold enough to handle the Bratva. She might even be a little crazy, but we all have to be in one way or another. There’s no other way to cope with such an aggressive industry.
“Come here,” I say, beckoning her around the table. “I need you to write your name in the book.”
She slides out of her chair, walking softly over to me. She’s taking her time, and I see the fear in her eyes. She’s been brave so far, but the idea of drawing blood is frightening to her. I’d like to comfort her, to tell her that everything is going to be okay, but that’s for later.
Tonight, she joins the Bratva.
“Here’s the book,” I say holding it out to her.
The moment she reaches for it, I drop it on the floor, grabbing her hand and bring the dagger to her fingertips. Before she can even scream, I’ve sliced open the middle one.
“What the fuck?!” she stumbles back as I let her go, holding her hand.
“Quick and easy,” I mumble, bending over and picking the book off the ground. “Your name is already in here. I just need the smear and we can say your vows.”
She holds her fingers tightly, shooting me a dirty look. “You should’ve told me you were going to do that. You didn’t have to trick me.”
“Expect the unexpected, darling.”
I know she hates me for throwing her words back at her, but she’ll get over it. Joining the Bratva is always an exhilarating experience, and she’ll soon be distracted by all that comes with it.
Money, power, respect. She even gets to carry a gun, but I doubt she’s going to want one.
Not optional, sadly. She must be able to defend herself, and not only that, but be willing to kill someone without a second thought. Hesitation is what ends lives. Snap decisions save them.
I open the blue book, flipping through pages until I find Lily’s name. “Put your finger here,” I say, holding the book out to her.
She eyes the dagger in my other hand, refusing to come close enough to fulfill her obligation.
I sigh, putting the dagger on the dining table. “I’m not going to cut you again. All I need is your blood and we can continue.”
