Bloodlines in the Shadows

Chapter One: The Stranger's Arrival

Nico sat alone in his room, the peeling paint and creaky bed frame a constant reminder of his reality. His life was a series of bruises and accusations, endless lectures on his "worthlessness" from parents who barely even seemed to like each other, let alone him. He'd built up walls of sarcasm and defiance to survive, a protective armor as tattered as the hand-me-down clothes he wore. Tonight, however, he felt an itch-a strange feeling he couldn't shake, like something just beyond the horizon was waiting, drawing closer with each heartbeat.

The knock came suddenly, three solid, precise thuds. Unfamiliar. Nico's parents never knocked.

Voices followed, low and heated, echoing up the narrow stairwell from the front door. The deep timbre sent a strange chill down his spine, drawing him to the edge of his bed. He strained to listen, picking out a few words.

"...no, you can't...not without..."

"Step aside, please. I don't think you understand the situation."

The strange voice had a dangerous edge to it, calm and unyielding. Another voice, gruffer, cut through next.

"We're here for the boy."

Panic thrummed in Nico's chest. The boy? That was him. His mind raced, searching for any possible reason why someone might come looking for him, but nothing made sense. It wasn't like he had any friends; he kept his distance, wary of bringing his home life to anyone else's attention.

But before he could put together a plan, heavy footsteps echoed up the stairs, each one a hammer to his heartbeat. The door creaked open, and Nico braced himself, squaring his shoulders, eyes narrowed to hide any sign of fear.

Two men entered the room. They were huge, towering over him with shoulders wide enough to fill the doorway. They looked similar, but not quite the same, like two halves of the same intimidating whole. One was dark-haired with an intense stare, and the other had hair a shade lighter, his expression unreadable but somehow just as intense.

"Nico." The dark-haired one's voice was calm, but there was something lethal beneath it.

"Who the hell are you?" Nico spat, standing up straighter. He was fifteen, sure, but he wasn't about to let these strangers see him flinch.

The lighter-haired one cracked a faint smile, though there was no warmth in it. "Sassy, huh? Just like he said."

"Who said?" Nico snapped back. The idea that anyone might have told them anything about him made his skin crawl.

The dark-haired man, apparently the less patient of the two, stepped forward. "We're here to bring you home."

"This is my home," Nico said, his voice sharp. But even as he said it, he knew how hollow it sounded.

A silence settled between them, and the two men shared a look before the dark-haired one spoke again, softer but somehow fiercer. "No. It's not. You've been kept from us for fifteen years, Nico, and it's time for you to come back to your real family."

"Real family?" Nico scoffed. "And who would that be?"

The dark-haired man's gaze didn't waver. "The De Lucas."

The name meant nothing to him, but something in the way he said it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. It was like he was supposed to recognize it, like it was something heavy and important. But all he could see was the smug grin on this man's face, as if he expected Nico to drop everything and just follow them.

"Right. De Lucas. And what does that make you? My fairy godfathers?" Nico's voice was laced with sarcasm, his bravado covering his fear.

The lighter-haired man gave a short laugh, clearly amused. "Close enough. I'm Leo, and this is Marco." He leaned in slightly, just enough to meet Nico's eyes at a level. "We're your brothers."

That word-brothers-hit Nico like a punch. He could count on one hand the number of times his so-called parents had shown anything resembling family. This was absurd. But even as he opened his mouth to tell them exactly where they could shove their story, a part of him hesitated. What if they were telling the truth?

Marco, seeing the glimmer of doubt, pressed on. "It's a lot, I know. But we're here now, and you're not staying in this dump another night."

Leo's hand reached out, resting briefly on Nico's shoulder-a simple touch, but it radiated warmth and strength, something Nico couldn't remember ever feeling before. A tiny crack appeared in his armor, though he wouldn't admit it.

"Look," Nico said, shrugging Leo's hand off, "I don't know what kind of scam you're running, but I'm fine on my own. I don't need a... family."

Leo gave him a strange look, one he couldn't quite read. "We're not here to ask what you need, Nico. We're here because you belong with us. You're family. And that means something to us."

Nico stared at them, heart pounding as that word-family-echoed in his mind.