1

Third Pov-

Ezekiel, Malachi, Damon and Silas were the four powerful men who ruled the Vipers Mafia.

Morally grey, unhinged and insanely dangerous men. Even the Syndicate was scared to against them. But somebody had to.

Hence, they called on 'Shadow'- A combination of all four above mentioned. The way he tortured his victims would scare the devil himself and give him nightmares.

The Syndicate was confident and hence were celebrating the death of the Vipers in advance. But little did they know that the very person they set on the Vipers back was coming for them.

***At The Vipers Mansion***-

It was 3 in the morning and no one was expected to be awake, yet, the lights in the gym were glowing bright and you could hear the thud of the punches thrown on the punching bag.

Damon, once again had the same nightmare. Every night he went to sleep and then woke up to the nightmares.

Up until a week ago, no one had known. But now all three of his friends stood in the dark watching him.

"I'm telling you, something's not right. It's been a week now. I think we should talk to him." Silas was the first to speak.

"Silas is right. We have to make him talk, even if it's by force. We can't let this continue anymore. Zeke, what do you think?" Malachi asked, his eyes trained on his friend.

"Okay. Now or at breakfast?" He asked and the other two exchanged glances.

"Now." Both of them said at once.

"Come out, if you're done plotting my death." Damon yelled and the three walked out chuckling.

"Damon, sit down." Ezekial spoke, his voice carrying an edge to it.

Damon drank his water and then sat down, unwrapping the tape bandaged around his hands.

"Baby, something's wrong isn't it? You know you can speak to us right? You haven't been sleeping well. When was the last time you slept?" Malakai's voice sounded, laced with concern and worry and Damon instantly regretted.

"I was about to tell you guys tomorow at breakfast anyways. But I guess no better time than now. Shadow's coming for us." Damon spoke his voice low like a growl.

"Who?" Ezekial asked.

"The Syndicate." Damon answered.

"When did you find out?" Silas asked.

"A week ago. I almost died." Damon said and all three stood up abruptly the chairs falling off.

"What?!"

Ezekial was the first to pull Damon in his arms and kiss the side of his head.

"Damon, we could've lost you," Ezekial's voice trembled.

"I'm fine. Christian was with me. He sensed something wrong with the car. So we both jumped out and the surely a few seconds later the car exploded." Damon explained.

Ezekial let go of him and then another pair of hands pulled him in, holding him tightly. He could feel the person's heart beating wildly from his back. His soultwin, Malachi.

"D, you can't do this to me, to us. All these years there's been no one but us. How do you think we would survive if anything had to happen to you?" Will sounded vulnerable and Damon hated himself for being the reason of it.

"I'm sorry Kai. I was in shock. I couldn't just process it. I would've let Chris explain it to you, but I know you'd be all worried just like now and would want me close, so I thought it was for the best for me being the one to inform you all." Damon explained and he felt his skin scald with the hot tears.

"Kai, I'm so sorry. Please, please don't cry." Damon pleaded as he gently pushed him back.

Yes, these were the same men who'd raze the world to the ground for each other and to keep their people, the friends, their own mafia safe.

But when it was just the four of them, they'd let themselves be vulnerable and cry like babies. They did have hearts after all.

"I'm so fucking sorry. I was in shock myself. I couldn't believe it. The note we found is still under my pillow on my bed. I was more shocked than scared." He tried to apologise.

"Zeke, can you hug Kai for me please, will you? I need to hug my best friend to know he's really alive here. But I can't pull him off Kai." Silas spoke softly and Ezekial nodded.

"Kai, hey buddy, come here." Ezekial spoke and then pulled him into his arms while Silas roughly pulled Damon in his arms.

"Don't you dare pull a shit like this, Damon. We've could've fucking lost you and we'd have no idea. We promised to share everything. There's no us without any one of us present. You die, we all die. You bastard." Silas spat, but he wasn't angry, just scared.

"I'm sorry Silas. I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry. Please, please try to understand me. I haven't been sleeping the nights for a week now and it's true. As I was punching just now, I decided it's high time. United, nobody can fuck us. But if we're divided, we will surely. And that's what they were trying to do. Somebody must have figured it out that we're stronger when we fight together. Hence, the car explosion to take me out. Knowing well, it would drive you crazy and make you vulnerable." Damon explained and Silas held him more tight.

"I love you, all three of you. And just like Kai said, how would we survive if anything were to happen to you? So we stay together, we stay strong. All these years, we've been the only ones for each of us. We know each other inside out like a book. We can't let some stupid assassin to break us now. And the Syndicate? I have a plan for them. For now, let's go back and sleep." Silas spoke and all agreed.

"Should we sleep together like we used to while we were still teenagers? It'd be fun." Damon asked and Kai scoffed.

"No thanks, because we won't sleep and you'd only bore us three to death. And I, for one, need my beauty sleep." And all started laughing.

But then they heard the crash. And all three ran out. They all had their guns pointed and walked slowly.

"H-help me." They heard a whimper.

"Heard that?" Ezekial asked and others agreed with a nod.

"H-help." The voice came again and they heard it more clearly.

Silas flicked on the lights and they saw a man covered in blood on the floor. The man saw them as well. He tried to get up, but he was too weak, so sat himself against the wall.

All four of them crouched in front of him. The doors opened and at least 30 guards rushed in with their guns pointed at the man.

"Drop your guns." Ezekial ordered and the men obeyed.

"S-save me, please." The man spoke looking at the four with an emotion that made their hearts tremble.

Their years long friendship helped them to understand each other even without saying a word. The four of them exchanged glances and they knew all of them felt the same thing.

"Who are you?" Damon asked and his eyes dropped to the bleeding abdomen.

"You've been shot. How many?" Damon asked and the man smiled.

"Probably four." He replied and Damon's eyez went wide.

He immediately took out his phone and texted someone and then pocketed his phone.

"I-I'm a well wisher. N-no harm. Promise. The Syndicate has put a hit on all four of you. But I'm glad you survived Damon. Or it wouldn't be good for them." The man coughed blood, and the four friends felt their hearts being crushed.

"Keep your guards up all the time. Watch your back all the time for the next few days." The man said and he started slipping.

"Fuck, let's take him to the medic bay. Christian is here already and ready for us." Damon spoke and Ezekial lifted the man bridal style.

"Thank you, Vipers." The man whispered and was out.

"He's out, hurry." Ezekial yelled and they rushed out to the medic bay which was on the west wing.

But Kai who was quiet, had noticed something.

The man knew Damon's accident. He knew it was Syndicate. And said it wouldn't be good for the Syndicate if Damon had to die or get injured. He said the hits were put out on all four of them.

How did he know so much? But that's not what shocked him.

The man had entered their mansion, and not even a single guard had seen him, nor had any of the security alarms gone off.

But for now, he would keep an eye. The man looked okay, but he wouldn't trust him just yet, injured or not. With the four of them, trust never came easily. And that's how they had built up this whole Vipers Mafia and the empire.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***