MAFIA'S ANGEL

CHAPTER 27

Nikolai. 

The floor of the old warehouse was damp and cold. Air smelled like mold and blood. His blood. Nikolai felt it pooling around his frame. Sometime around now his father would yell for him to man up. You got hurt? So what? 

His eyes closed. For once he was in peace with his fate. Calm and silent death. It was far better than what would come otherwise. He just had to wait until he bled out. A fifteen-year-old could certainly find himself in a far better situation, but he wasn't just a regular teenager. He was next in line to lead an Empire of crime and violence. 

Yeah, death did sound good. 

Bang! Crash!

"Danny! You stupid, be silent!" A distant, childish voice whisper-yelled. It clearly belonged to a young boy. "We shouldn't be here." 

"Shut up. Are you a coward? It's going to be fine!" Another, equally young voice claimed. 

"This is scary." A female voice joined the conversation. "I don't like this place." 

"Are you scared of ghosts, Angelique?" The brash boy quipped. 

"N-no. I just don't like it here." The girl protested. Their voices were nearing. 

Nikolai stifled an annoyed groan. Fucking hell, he couldn't even die without being bothered, by kids no less. Maybe if he laid there silently they wouldn't find-

"Oh my god!" One of the boys suddenly yelled.

No rest for the wicked. Nikolai kept his eyes closed, very much aware of three young kids ogling his bleeding form from a corner. 

"Let's get out of here!" The other boy insisted, sounding panicked. 

"What!? We can't  just leave him like this!" The girl protested. 

"Whatever. I am not staying!" The two boys shuffled away in hurry. 

Smart thing to do, Nikolai noted. But one of the group remained standing still. The girl had stayed behind. Finally the curiosity got the best of him. He peered at her though his lashes, getting a glimpse of her delicate horror-filled face, her large doe-like eyes, and the most striking feature of all - her golden hair. 

The girl wasn't a day older than seven, maybe eight. She looked like an angel - so pure and innocent, it felt wrong to be in her presents. He deserved to die on this cold floor - alone. 

"Are you awake?" She questioned in a soft voice, slowly approaching. 

Nikolai felt an urge to yell at her - to tell her to get lost like her friends did. But he remained silent, watching her through squinted eyes. 

Hesitantly, she knelt down besides him. The girl gasped in shock when she saw the large wound that split open his chest all the way down to his torso. "We need to call an ambulance-" 

"No." Nikolai rasped. His voice was rough for a teenager and harsh enough to make her flinch. That's it.If he scared her away he could die in peace. "Go away." He ordered, failing to sound demanding. 

This time it was her turn to say no. "I won't do that. I can't leave you here." The angelic girl removed her jacket, pressing it against his open wound. 

Nikolai winced. "I don't need your help."

"You look like you do." 

Damn, she's stubborn. 

"Leave." He demanded again. 

"No." She refused. 

"If you won't leave me, I will hurt you." The boy threatened lamely. 

"Hold up, I will get you some bandages." The girl right up ignored him. Briskly, she stood up. "Don't go anywhere!" She ordered fiercely for an eight-year-old. 

Nikolai scoffed. As if I could. He watched the girl scurry away. She had left her jacket on him, letting it soak with his blood. It was warm, like her. He let his eyes drop close, certain she wouldn't return. No one would return for someone like me. He though bitterly, not really feeling too successful. He had scared her away, but it did not feel good. 

Whatever. You're not meant to feel good. You're meant to die. 

To his utter shock, the girl returned half an hour later with a first aid kit and some food. He was shaken from his slumber by her slender fingers undoing his shirt. 

"This is awful. Who did this to you?" The girl questioned, her cornflower blue eyes sad. "My name is Angelique by the way. What's your name?" 

Nikolai didn't respond, still shellshocked by her return. 

"Fine, you don't have to tell me." She grumbled, fumbling with a piece of gauze. "Can you at least sit up?" 

He did as told, well, tried. The pain and exhaustion made him slump right back against the cold ground. "Why are you doing this?" He grit out, attempting once more to prop himself up. This time he succeeded somewhat. 

Angelique frowned as if the answer was obvious. "I can't let you bleed out." She cleaned his wound and wrapped a gauze around his torso. Nikolai's body was littered with wounds and adorned a couple of tattoos. He saw it in her eyes, she wanted to ask what they meant, but instead concentrated on the task. 

It was a sloppy work of a eight year old, but he couldn't wish for more. She had him lay on a thick blanket she had brought and eat a sandwich. What an odd girl. 

"There. You're set." She announced proudly once she had Nikolai tucked in and fed. "I will come back tomorrow to change the bandages and bring you food." 

Silently the boy watched her collect her things. He didn't utter a word as she walked out. 

~~.~~

Angelique kept her word. For the following week, she treated his dressings and brought him food. Even chocolate. Everyday she revealed something new about herself. Apparently she liked dancing and wanted to become a dancer when she grew up. She also liked sweets and butterflies. 

He got a feeling that she didn't have anyone to talk to back at home. Nikolai pitied her that he was the best company the sunshine of a girl had. A petty son of a gang lord. 

Still, he listened, and a couple of times felt compelled to reveal a thing or two about himself as well. 

A week later, she had him nursed back to health to the point where he could stand and change his own dressings. The young girl was too kind to him. He couldn't help getting attached to her. She was light to his darkness. So pure and innocent - like a gulp of fresh air. 

Sadly, he couldn't stay hiding in the warehouse for forever. He was alive and well, and full of scalding anger. Those who wronged him - his own family - would pay the price. 

"What do you mean, you have to go?" Angelique questioned when he revealed that he was going to leave the warehouse. 

"I can't hide here for forever, Angel." Nikolai couldn't stand the sad look in her eyes. "But I tell you what, let's make a promise." 

"A promise?" She lit up. "Like a pinky promise?" 

He chuckled. "Something like that." Slowly, he stretched out his hand, offering her his pinky. "I promise that I will forever be yours. No matter what. Even if we don't ever meet again, you have a part of my soul." He felt his cheeks flame at such cheesy words, even if he meant every single one of them. 

Angelique beamed, wrapping her much smaller pinky around his. "Then I promise that I will forever be yours, and you will always have a piece of my soul." She locked her finger around his. "Cross my heart and hope to die!" 

His heart melted then and there. She was just a kid, he knew it. But when she would grow up, she would kill men with a single glance, he was certain. 

Nikolai reached out, pulling into a firm hug. Their parting embrace. "Cross my heart and hope to die..." He repeated after her, squeezing her tighter against him. 

If we ever meet again...I won't ever let you go, my Angel.