Since 1998

Anna and Rafael

Spain.

Allison heard a strange, loud laugh echoing from the kitchen. Intrigued, she peeked inside, but she felt too shy to step into the room fully.

“Maria?”

Her nanny looked up quickly, her face softening instantly. “Oh! Ali... You must be hungry. Come in.”

Allison’s eyes, however, were fixed entirely on the girl sitting cross-legged on the kitchen table. She's gorgeous.

“Oh,” Maria noticed the look right away. “Ali, this is my daughter, Anna. She just arrived from back home." She turned to her daughter. "Anna, this is Allison. Isn't she beautiful?”

Neither of the girls paid much attention to Maria. They stared at each other, locking eyes. Allison was thrilled, finally, to find a girl her age.

What she didn't know, however, was that Anna was a secret rebel, a girl known back home for mischief and street smarts, the exact opposite of the pristine perfection of the Ainsley mansion.

🔅🔅🔅

She invited Anna to her room.

Anna immediately spun around the massive bedroom, taking in the high ceilings. “Cool. Glamorous, plus your ethereal beauty. Aren't you lucky?” Anna threw herself backward onto the silk sheets. “If you're a princess, where are the glass shoes?”

“They're dangerous, Anna.”

“Not if you know how to wear them!” She sat up abruptly. “I really like you. I guess we're going to be good friends. Actually, not just friends…I’ll be your buddy. Your bodyguard.”

“You? But you're a girl…”

“Girls are cooler than men,” Anna stated matter-of-factly. “The boys back home? They're all terrified of me. I know martial arts and dangerous words,” she winked.

“For real?”

“For real.”

“So, even if I'm a girl, I can be like you? Is that why Maria brought you here?”

“Mama had no idea, let's keep it to ourselves.”

“Tell me more…”

Anna looked at her with eyes full of intrigue.

🔅🔅🔅

Back in South Carolina

Devin was sitting quietly on the front steps of the Austin estate when a loud voice suddenly cut through his peace.

“Excuse me!”

A boy, roughly thirteen years old, stood at the edge of the iron fence. “Pretty hot today, huh?” the boy said, shielding his eyes from the glare.

“Yeah,” Devin replied shortly, keeping his distance.

“My family just moved in next door. How long have you been living here?”

“Since I was born...” Devin's voice was completely flat, sounding almost like a sarcastic joke.

The boy, however, just smiled, completely unaffected by the cold reception. “Cool. I'm Sam. Sam Cook.”

Devin stepped down and took the offered hand briefly. “Devin. That's what my ancestors gave me as a name.”

“Ancestors?”

“Never mind. Nice to meet you. I should head inside now.”

Before he could take a step back, a girl appeared from behind Sam. Although she was only twelve, she carried herself with an easy confidence, an expensive cashmere sweater knotted casually over her shoulders. Her dark hair shimmered in the afternoon sunlight as her hazel eyes swept over the property, but Devin paid her no attention.

“So, is this the 'quiet neighbor' you were telling me about, Sam?” she asked.

“Devin, this is my sister, Cathy.”

Cathy stepped closer, her Tiffany charm bracelet catching the light as she offered her hand. Devin didn't take it. Instead, he gave her a small, polite nod. “Alright. I should get going.”

As he walked away toward the porch, he heard Sam mutter under his breath, “Well... that was cold.”

“Maybe he's just shy,” Cathy whispered, her eyes tracking Devin until he disappeared back into his house.

“Yeah... I guess he looks the part.”

Later that afternoon, when Cathy reached her bedroom window, she spotted Devin outside again. “Sam,” she called out, waving her brother over. “Look.”

Devin was sitting on a stone bench, furiously writing on a piece of paper. Cathy watched as he carefully folded the note and began marching down toward the shore. “Wait, he's going somewhere.”

Curiosity getting the better of them, the siblings tailed him from a distance, staying low behind the manicured hedges. When they finally reached the edge of the beach, they stopped dead in their tracks.

Right there on the sand, the heavy construction of a massive glass house had begun.

🔅🔅🔅

Back in Spain.

Allison began to write.

Dear Devin, I met a new friend today. Her name is Anna, and she's Maria's daughter... Just as she finished the sentence, her bedroom door swung open without a knock.

“Ali, what's that?” Anna stood in the doorway, her sharp eyes landing instantly on the stack of airmail.

Allison felt a sudden, prickly warmth crawl up her neck. She quickly smoothed the paper against the wood of the desk, trying to hide it. “Just letters from my best friend.”

“Ohhh, stop it. No such thing as 'best friends' who write letters to each other across the ocean,” Anna remarked, sliding into the room with a knowing, mischievous look. “He's probably your boyfriend.”

“No, we're just best friends.”

“I know that look,” Anna grinned, hopping onto the edge of the mattress. “I've already had three ex-boyfriends. One of them was a gang leader.” Her smile faded slightly, her gaze drifting toward the window. “I miss them sometimes. People judge them, but they were the coolest people I've ever met.”

“No way! You're way too young for that.”

“Young? I had my first crush when I was six,” Anna replied with a shrug. “Well, the other one is still technically my boyfriend. We're just kind of on a 'cool off' period right now.”

“Really?” Allison asked, leaning forward, completely captivated. “If you're asking about my first crush... I saw him back in 1998 and immediately started tailing him like crazy.” Her gaze drifted as her mind traveled back to the South Carolina shore. “God, why did I fall so hard for that boy? He's pretty handsome.”

“Whoa. Look at that spark in your eyes. You're being bold this time.”

“Why couldn't I stop thinking about him? He's not even interested in me. He was so rude.”

“Allison, just tell me who he is. I'll help you lock him down.”

“He lives back in South Carolina. I'm too shy to tell you his name, Anna.”

“My bad. How can we even put him under a spell from all the way over here? Though, I do know how to make a love potion.”

“A love potion?” Allison paused, shaking her head. “Never mind. I'm just so bored here, Anna. I hate how my parents control every single aspect of my life.”

Anna looked at her with pity. She remembered how hard she had fought for freedom. Then out of nowhere she asked her for something that was about to change Allison's sheltered life. “Do you want to join our family?”

“Family? What do you mean?”

Anna took her hand, “My boyfriend is a mafia prince. His family is my family. And in our world, even people who aren't related by blood can become part of it.” She grinned, watching as Allison's face lit up with interest.

She nodded slowly with her eyes wide in disbelief.

🔅🔅🔅

Over on the prestigious academy grounds, Daniel stood still as mocking taunts echoed across the schoolyard.

“Vampire! Vampire!” the kids cheered, jeering at his pale features and quiet intensity.

Daniel didn't blink. If the rules allowed him to hit back, every single one of them would be long dead.

“Hey! Stop it, get out of here!” a boy suddenly shouted, stepping boldly between Daniel and the crowd. The bullies quickly dispersed, muttering curses under their breath. The boy turned around, adjusting his uniform. “Are you okay?”

Daniel gave a stiff nod. His eyes were usually cold and detached.

“I'm Rafael,” the boy said, offering a casual, confident grin. “I've noticed you around the halls. You've always got that signature stiffness. Sometimes, I wonder if you're possessed or maybe somewhat like the Devil's son. No offense. It's just a thought.”

“Daniel.”

“Why don't you ever fight back?” Rafael asked, falling into step beside him as they walked.

“They'd be long dead if I did.”

Rafael let out a low whistle, a smirk playing on his lips. “Interesting. You know... You could be one of us. I think you're destined to be part of us.”

Daniel stopped short, his sharp, icy gaze locking onto Rafael.

“We don't fight the weak,” Rafael explained, meeting his gaze, “We fight for the weak.”

🔅🔅🔅

By October of 2000, Allison had turned twelve years old. It was during this month that Anna finally introduced her to the secret organization.

“Allison, meet Peter,” Anna voiced proudly. “My boyfriend, and our prince.”

“Hi, Peter,” Allison said, steeling her nerves.

“Hello, Allison…You look great.”

Meanwhile, at that same time across town, Rafael was successfully recruiting Daniel into the very same world. They were operating in entirely different factions, but both were now running under the same cold-blooded underworld syndicates.

While Rafael took a softer approach with Daniel, training him purely for survival and raw fighting techniques, Allison's training was different. She was fueled by rebellion.

Every time Lauren and Alex traveled back to the United States, Allison and Anna used the excuse of hanging out in Anna's rural hometown.

“It's their fault,” Allison whispered fiercely to herself as she was already being trained to assemble a rifle. “If only they hadn't forced us apart. Maybe right now I'd be playing on the beach with Devin, going to school with Devin, or dancing. But they always get in my way.”