The Hotel

*Sandra*

We left Tanya at the house. She looked at peace as we pulled away. I remember that feeling and I was so happy she was feeling it too. Now to find Takara. I looked over at Zeus and grinned at him. "Stop." He said, blushing for the first time I'm sure. I looked at Joseph who was smiling at both of us. Henry pipped up too, "She's hott Z, I am happy for you dude." he smacked him on the back. "Yall are a bunch of kids." He said laughing. I looked back at Joseph and could see his worry in his eyes. "Don't worry boss, Jay showed me well how to protect myself. Ryan thinks he is smarter than all of us, he will be easy to read." I placed my hand on his face. "I'll be okay." I kissed him softly. "I can't wait to beat the hell out of something," he said leaning back and grabbing my leg. "Jay, thank you for helping me, I know I will be able to handle this." I looked up and he was smiling at me in the rearview mirror. I leaned back and closed my eyes. This was the end for me, either Ryan or I weren't walking away from this. I couldn't do this anymore. I didn't tell the others I felt this way. If he does kill me, Tanya will be there to take care of them. They will keep her close because they know what I would want them to do. I reached down and grabbed Joseph's hand. I knew he would be okay without me if this didn't go our way. He was strong. He was the strongest man I have met since my father. I know my dad would be angry with me too, for putting myself in this kind of danger. I do believe the fighter in him would understand. A fighter doesn't back down. We fight.

When we got to the south end it looked like a ghost town. Like one of those wild wild west scenes, where the hero has a shoot-out with the villain. It started to feel very real. I could feel the fear creeping up inside of me. I willed it away letting my darkness take hold. I think Joseph noticed because he wasn't touching me like usual. He was watching me closely. I looked over at him and his eyes darted right to mine. "Are you okay Sandra?" He said quietly. I nodded trying to stay in the mindset I had entered into. He looked away. Maybe it was hard for him to see me like this, like him, but it was necessary to get through the next hour of our lives. When we reached the hotel we pulled in with two cars pulling up beside us. I looked from side to side, "Brotherhood." Joseph said calmly. I nodded again. Speaking seemed to be hard for me. Jay shut off the vehicle like clockwork the others did the same. It was like a fine-tuned machine watching these men work together. All opened doors at the same time and got out forming a cloud around the vehicle their king was in. Jay came around opening the door, Joseph slid out helping me after. Zeus and Henry got out on the other side. I saw respect instantly as they bowed their heads down and guards surrounded him and me. He looked over at me and smiled. I guess I never realized the type of protection he had if he needed it. It was like he had his army around him and the rest of his inner circle. They were all being commanded by Jay though, which made my heart smile. I nodded at him as we walked by. They made a circle and discussed what was going to happen. Jay was adamant he should go with me, raising his voice at even Joseph. I walked up to him putting my hand on his arm. "I need you to understand Jay, please try. I want to do this, I need to face him. I need to get my power back. Then you can come in and slay the boogeyman." I smiled at him and kissed his cheek. I looked back to Joseph hoping he understood and he nodded at me. His expression was almost like he admired what I had done.

I walked through the crowd which almost parted like the Red Sea for Moses. I walked towards the door to the front office, took a deep breath and walked inside. "We can hear you Sunshine, You have an army out here to come to you on command." I smiled hearing Henry's voice. He almost made me want to laugh. I walked through the office area to the lobby immediately seeing Ryan there waiting for me. I closed my eyes willing all my darkness to come to the front, and it did. I walked in calmly sitting on the arm of the small love seat in the room. "This is a nice room, though you have seen it more than I have, haven't you Ry?" I smirked at him. "Well look at you. Spent some time with the devil and come back with some evil inside you as well huh Sandy?" He walked towards me but stopped. I knew he was seeing the darkness but I wanted him to. He was used to seeing fear and shame. I would never show him that again. I stood up and smiled at him, "You are the only devil I have ever been in contact with Ryan, Why Tanya?" I flinched some at her name but shook it off quickly. "Brian asked me to come talk to her, it got out of hand." The curve of his lips reminded me of the Grinch from the child's cartoon. "So that was Brian's Idea huh?" I asked simply so Zeus would hear me. "That son of a bitch will die too." I heard Zeus almost on cue to my thoughts. I felt cool metal hit my leg as he spoke, remembering the gun Jay had reached me during training. He gave it to me for defense, telling me not to use it unless I had to. "You think he is evil Sandy, and he is. Taking a life, any life, it affects your soul. It darkens it. Yours is bright, keep it that way." I could hear him echoing in my mind. "Sandra, are you listening to me?" I heard Ryan yell. I looked up at him realizing I had zoned out some.

He walked a step closer to me. "Why did you want me to come here, Ryan?" I said in an irritated voice. "YOU belong to me." He said harshly taking another step forward. "Are you okay queen?" I heard Joseph who sounded winded in my ear. I also heard a bit of cheering. I walked towards the window and looked out. I saw a circle of the men that were out there and Joseph shirtless fighting with Ark. "Are you okay?" I said quietly. I heard him tell me he was having fun smacking Ark around. "I needed a spar day," He said laughing darkly. "Still talking to your king huh?" I heard Ryan say sarcastically from behind me. *Don't turn your back on him Sandy* I heard Jay in my head, spinning around quickly. Ryan was holding a gun pointing it at me. "Ryan calm down," I said softly taking the comm out of my ear and sitting it on the coffee table. "They can't hear us now, it's just you and I, Put the gun down." I stepped closer to him. "Let's just talk." I pleaded with him. He smiled at me. I know he thought he had me, I was lying to him. I knew he wasn't taking me this time. I wouldn't let him . I would die first. He kept the gun trained on me telling me to sit down on a chair he had set up beside him. I did as he asked. "Where is Takara Ryan?" I asked now wishing I hadn't turned off the comm. If he kills me someone needs to find her. They will notice they can't hear me and start coming in. I had to work fast. "Luca has her Sandy. I looked for her because of the picture, before Tanya. We found a trail to the peak, a modeling interview. He tricked her. He has had her for a while. One of the guys he has on his team told Ark that she is his slave. She stays with him." He said smiling. He enjoyed telling me that so I didn't react. He reached out his hand and touched my cheek. I didn't respond to that either.

I looked up at him and smiled. "You stupid fuck, You can never take away what Smoke has given me. He has given me more than you have anyone in your life. He is my soul, my heart, my king. He means more to this world than you ever could." he hit me hard, which is what I wanted. I slumped down in my chair holding my face with one hand. I started to pretend I was crying. "There you go bitch, keep running your mouth and I will beat you to death, take you, and then put this gun in your mouth." he was laughing loudly. How he hadn't thought about the army outside amazed me. He should be scared shitless. He knew he was going to die. Was he not able to feel fear either? I had seen it before in the cabin. Maybe he was at the end of his fight as well. It was down to me and him, and whoever won, won. A monster gets tired too I assume. I reached down my pants knowing he was distracted by his uncontrollable anger. I heard Joseph and Henry frantically screaming my name before I pointed the gun at Ryan. "You won't shoot me, Sandy." He said smiling at me. I stood up and smiled back just as sweetly. "If I don't, they will. You die today Ryan." I spat at him. "Going to let that big man save you again bitch." he said looking from me to Joseph. I walked towards my king keeping the gun pointed at Ryan. "Ark?" I asked when I got beside him but he couldn't answer, he was afraid. "Sunshine, don't do this. Let us take him out, go out to Jay and Z." Henry pleaded with me. I mouthed, "It's okay" and looked back to Ryan. "You can't do it, Sandy, you aren't like them, or like me." He said almost sounding apologetic. I pulled the hammer back stepping towards him. "I am nothing like you Ryan, but them, they are my family." I looked back at Joseph to try to get approval.

He finally smiled at me. "She isn't like you Ryan, she is better than all of us." He said pulling his gun and walking towards Ryan. "I am not like you either, I have darkness, but you're evil. You were born this way. People like me and my men, my queen, and now Tanya. We're made." He walked closer to me looking down at me with his eyes asking me what I wanted to do. I smiled turned towards Ryan and pulled the trigger.