CHAPTER ONE
July 11th…
Ana stared at her laptop and snarled at the image she saw. It was a face she knew well. She’d seen it before on the surveillance tapes from her grandfather’s workshop. She’d found him, Michael fucking Tabrone. The rage inside her had been building since the day they’d seen the tapes of their grandfather’s murder.
His portrait was grainy but she could see every line in his face. His face was long and drawn out. His hair was sweaty looking in the photo, dark and curly. His eyes were what bothered her the most. Even in the photo, there was nothing behind the blue orbs. No sign of life, just an emptiness like someone with no soul would have.
She hit control P and printed out a copy of the picture for her file. She’d made her brother a promise and she would keep it. Tomorrow, she would share all she had learned about Michael fucking Tabrone, then she would hunt him down and end his very existence.
Drago wouldn’t be able to stop her, not now. Gretchen was due to have their baby any day now and she knew he wouldn’t be able to follow her until after his child was born. But she also knew she would just have to be sneaky about leaving. She knew he wouldn’t let her go off on her own, so she wouldn’t waste her time asking. She would just do it.
First, she had a promise to keep.
She put her laptop aside and got up. She walked over to her printer and retrieved the picture she’d printed. She added it to the already huge file she’d gathered on Michael. Eight very long weeks it had taken her to compile all the information she had. She now knew more about the man that she ever wanted to know. Her research on the name Michael Tabrone had told her so much about the man himself.
For example, she knew he was thirty two years old, more than a few years older than her own twenty three years. His mother was a crack whore and he never knew his real father. He’d learned to fight on the streets of Detroit and later moved to Kansas City where he used his skills in the ring. His first manager was named Big Tony and he ran a gym in the worst part of town.
Michael was fifteen when his mother overdosed on her drug of choice—heroin. At sixteen, he was in kiddy jail where he got his ass beat everyday but instead of breaking him, he grew tougher. He worked hard and got recognition for his efforts. Michael’s story was one of survival and a few lucky breaks. But somewhere along the way, he’d become a monster.
Ana slowly closed the file and hung her head. She had to steel her heart against him. People faced those same challenges every day and only a few ever submitted to the darker side. Sitting down at the table again, she reached for her notebook and began making a list. A list of things she would need to prepare for her trip.
She was going to New Orleans.
An hour later, she got up and went to her work area. The old barn her grandfather had converted into a workshop had three separate work areas. Her grandfathers’, Drago’s, and her own. Her grandfather’s area was quiet now but Drago’s and hers were busy.
Her grandfather had taught them both to pound the steel into blades but she lacked the physical strength to make a blade worthy of the Curcovic name. That didn’t mean she couldn’t but her blades were shorter than Drago’s and her grandfather’s.
It was her job to emboss the blades and the hilts of the blades they made with the trademark emblem well know all over the world. She took her craft very seriously and she knew her grandfather had been proud of her contribution. No blade ever left their workshop without her mark on them.
Now, she went to her area and pulled a box from a hidden area under her bench. Taking a deep breath, she carried it over to the table and laid it down carefully. Opening the box, she gazed down at the blade and smiled slightly. The blade was a smaller than normal sword but it was a match to one her grandfather had created for Michael. She remembered well the design she had worked into the steel and had replicated it on this sword. This blade fit her hand almost as well as the one blade her grandfather had made for her years ago. It was that blade she’d been taught with, that blade she had become a master on and that blade would go with her to New Orleans. She would use the new blade to kill Michael with but she would take her older blade along as well.
Being a small woman, she couldn’t handle the weight or length of a full size sword but this one she could handle. Her grandfather had taught both her and Drago how to spar with the blades he created. He taught them both the different types of fighting, fencing and regular sword play, as well as some old fashioned moves that no one used these days, but once were very important in battle.. He also taught them to respect the blades and what they could do to the human body.
Drago was good with his sword but she was better. She might not have the reach and the stamina he had but she was quicker, could work in tighter areas and she could do more damage in less time than Drago could.
She’d been working with her blades every day since she turned ten. Drago thought he was better but that was because he was stronger than her. She was well aware of her own limitations but she also knew she was more dexterous than a man and that was her saving grace. She narrowed her eyes. Or at least it would be when she faced her grandfather’s murderer.
She lifted the blade out of the box and turned it into the light. The gleam of the blade gave her a good feeling as she twisted it back and forth. When she heard a soft clapping sound from behind her, she knew her secret was out. Without turning her heart to look at her brother, she told him, “I think it’s only fitting that this blade is an exact double to the blade grandfather made him, don’t you?”
She heard his footsteps coming closer and she laid the blade back in the box.
“It’s a beautiful blade,” Drago’s words were whispered and low. “Did you find him?”
Ana nodded. “He’s in New Orleans. He’s following his dream of becoming the next heavy weight champion of the MMA.”
Drago scoffed. “His dream isn’t worth anything now is it? He should have followed his path more closely if he wanted to make it in the ring.”
Ana nodded. “I agree.”
“Where is he training?”
“At the Five Brother’s gym. From what I can gather its run by one of five brothers from Russia.”
Drago chuckled. “Russians, huh? Must be a sign that something is finally working for us.”
Ana shrugged. “We have to be very careful about this. We must find the daggers he took from grandfather before we confront him. We must hope he hasn’t sold them on the black market.” She paused then added, “Grandfather wanted to give them to what’s left of Nikolas’ family. We’ll have to find them when this is all done.”
Drago nodded. “Yeah, grandpa and I talked about that a time or two.”
“Does Nikolas have any family left?” Ana frowned.
“Yes, he does, actually,” Drago assured her. “I’ve heard there is a cousin of some sort several generations removed but he’s still got royal blood. Rizvan is his first name but I’m not sure how to contact him.”
Ana shrugged. “We have to get the daggers back before we can worry about who to give them to. At this point, I just want to find this bastard.”
Drago searched his sister’s eyes and body language for a moment then wrapped his arms around her and held her close for a moment. “Ana,” he whispered in her ear. “I know you feel the same rage, as I do about what this man has done to our family. I can see it in your soul every time I look at you.”
Ana felt the tears fill her eyes. “So why do I hear a ‘but’ in your statement?”
“Because little sister, I love you. You and Gretchen and the baby are all I have in this whole world and I don’t want to lose you.”
She looked up at him quickly. “Why would you lose me?”
Drago kissed the top of her head. Being a foot and a half taller than her helped at times and at other times like this, it only served to remind him how small she really was. “I happen to love the person you are right now and I never want to see her change. I’ve been thinking about what we would do if we ever caught this man and while I want to see him face first in a pool of his own blood the same way he left our grandfather, I don’t however, think I could ever stab him in the back.” He tightened his arms around her. “And I don’t think killing him would be a good thing for you. I think his death would haunt you for the rest of your life.”
Ana wrapped her arms around her brother’s waist and buried her face in his chest. Her tears finally broke through and soaked his shirt. After a moment or so, she lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. “I don’t want to lose you or Gretchen either but I just can’t let this go. I can’t turn this over to the police and let them handle it. It could be years before they stepped up and did their jobs and the daggers would be lost forever if we allowed that to happen.”
Drago nodded. “I know.” He sighed out loud. “As much as I hate to think it let alone say it, maybe it’s time to let go of the past.”
Ana tore herself out of his arms and stared at her brother. “What does that mean, let go of the past?”
Drago just stared back at her for a moment but didn’t say anything.
“You mean, not go after this bastard, and let the daggers simply disappear, don’t you?” she asked in a shaky breath. “I can’t believe this, not of you Drago. Our grandfather taught us both. He taught us to believe in honor and commitment. He taught us to be proud of who we are and never forget the sacrifices others have made to get us where we are today.” She waved her hand at him. “How can you be so willing to walk away from everything he taught us? The daggers are a part of our family history. How can you just let them go without at least trying to get them back?”
Drago glared at his little sister. “I’m not turning my back on you or what grandfather taught us. I just don’t want Michael fuckin Tabrone to change what we are and I know killing him will gut the person you were meant to be. Killing another human being is a hard thing to do and some people just can’t do it without losing a part of their soul and I have a feeling you are one of those people. I’m not even sure I could do it.” He frowned. “As far as the daggers go, yes I want them back. I don’t think Michael should profit from stealing them but if they are already gone, then they are gone. No one knows about them anyway.”
“Well, I’m not going to allow him to get away from what he’s done either,” Ana stated firmly. “I will hunt this bastard down and …” She couldn’t finish her sentence, as she didn’t really know what she would do to him. Finally, she shook her head and admitted, “I just can’t let this go. He has to be accountable for what he’s done, not only to us but to the rest of the world.”
Drago agreed. “Believe me I want him to bleed just as badly as you do but like I said, I don’t want to lose any part of you in the process.”
They both heard the grandfather clock beyond the open door behind them begin to chime. The workshop was attached to the main showroom by a breezeway and the night was so quiet that the sound of the chimes echoed through the building. The clock chimed twelve times and when it was done, Drago took her in his arms again and kissed the top of her head. “We can talk more about this tomorrow. I think we both need some rest.”
Ana returned his hug and released him taking a step back. “I’ll see you in the morning then.” She nodded at him. “I love you Drago.”
Drago frowned slightly but gave her a nod. He simply gazed at her for a moment then turned to make his way back into the house they both still shared.
Ana watched him walk away. She was going to leave tonight. Moving up her timetable seemed the best thing she could do right now. There was no reason to wait and every reason to think Drago would do his best to talk her out of going in the first place.
She knew where this monster was and she was determined not to let him get away with killing her grandfather and stealing the daggers meant for a king. An hour later, she was ready. Her bags were packed and loaded in her Land Rover. When she went to retrieve her sword she also included her old sword and put it box in the vehicle she smiled when she saw her dog, Dutcher sitting on the back seat. Reaching out, she rubbed his ears for a moment then whispered, “I’m glad you’re coming with me Dutcher. I don’t think I want to face this alone.”
She slid the sword box under the back seat and got behind the wheel. For a moment, she turned and stared at the dark house behind her. Then she said a prayer. She prayed for forgiveness for what she was going to do and for the strength to do it. Then she prayed that her brother would forgive her for her actions and for everyone’s safety, especially her own from Drago. She had a feeling he would want kill her before this was done.