0.1-The Crimson heir

Deep inside the bustling streets of New York, hidden behind the tall skyscrapers and buildings was an auction house disguised as a normal warehouse. Men having deep ties with the Mafia and some corrupt government households scattered about the whole property, guarded by their guards disguised as police officers and some police officers themselves.

It was a connection of two huge warehouses in the centre with the roads curving on the sides and an empty space on the side hidden by huge buildings for parking. It was Friday night, the night of auction of anything with a price on the black market. Buyers and sellers from around the world crowded in like crows after going through strict security checks.

The man incharge for the whole programme, Johannes Wallace stood at the entrance with his guards, welcoming the people. He was a stout older man with a port belly, his grey hair gelled back. He eyed the group of youngsters, perhaps of age 17 and 18 seated on the nearest and the most luxurious table by the stage.

They were the heirs and descendants of some of the most dangerous Mafia Empires in the world. He let out a breath of relief as he didn't find the face he was looking for. Seems there will be no trouble tonight. Good.

Unknown to him, perched on the very top of the warehouse was the boy of his and many others' nightmares, watching the commotion going on with his hawk like gaze. A black coloured mask with red lines curving into jagged edges hid the top part of his face. He was hidden in the night, blending in with the shadows with his black hoodie and ripped jeans. His combat boots both hid two knives, just like his jeans did on the sides.

He held a crossbow in his hands, the tip of the arrow a black onyx carved with the symbol of a horse. The lines curling into a shield around it, morphing into a warrior's helmet below.

He could've just as easily used his gun but he had a knack for the dramatics as his brother had worded. And besides, seeing the arrow even without the symbol would be enough for the people under to panic.

He waited until Johannes Wallace stepped out in his range of view to greet one of the mob bosses. Just as he moved forward to hug him, Xander let the arrow fly.

Too easy.

He stepped back, just as the arrow protruded from the centre of Johannes Wallace's head and he collapsed, his eyes wide open.

Just as he anticipated, the commotion began as if it was a stampede of animals not a gathering of a crowd. Why wouldn't it? After all, the blood heir had come back from the dead to satisfy his thirst and hunger for blood and violence.

"What's going on?" James Wallace asked the guard who ran in with the arrow. James inspected the arrow, almost dropping it in horror as he recognised the symbol. "T-that's impossible!" He stepped back, fear crawling up his spine. "H-he's d-dead! I saw..."

The words died in his throat as the lights went out and people began screaming. He felt himself getting pulled by the crowd, the arrow in his hand fallen to the ground with an unheard clank, just like his unheard ringing of the phone.

A loud gunshot was heard, halting the crowd only for a second before a voice spoke out loud. A voice that no one expected to hear. A voice that had them wanting to kneel down and beg for mercy.

"Hush."

The voice was spoken through the mic in a eerie, mocking whisper. People looked around in the dark, pointing their weapons in different directions.

The only sound was of the dark chuckle that sounded out from the speakers. "You thought you got rid of me?" He asked, his voice a mocking hyena and his gaze an arrogant lion. He tsked. "You just harmed my armour." His eyes hard like steel, he redied his gun. "Now suffer the consequences."

The firing began. Yells and screams echoed through the now closed warehouse, along with the loud ringing of bullets. People fell to the ground either dead or ready to die among the stampede of the crowd as bullets rained on them. But the one shooting wasn't the masked heir, no it was the people themselves aiming anywhere they could hoping to kill the heir. Oh but little did they know, he was relishing in the commotion from the very top of the wooden beams that supported the roof, hiding himself from the rain of bullets.

His phone buzzed.

'Ready to light it up.'

His lips curved in a wicked smirk as he hauled himself up the roof. A hooded masked figure met him at the top, holding a container filled with gasoline. His mask was blue in colour, covering his whole face with white fangs protruding from the mouth. The masked heir nodded, taking another similar container from beside the other person. Together they pouted it on the roof and the edges of the warehouses.

Lastly, the masked heir placed a few packets randomly on the roof and threw the rest of them down the trapdoor.

The contents inside were a mixture of water and other white substance, having mostly water.

"What is that?" The other person asked, his voice thick with a Chinese accent.

"White Phosphorus."

When the person looked at him in question, the heir replied, "It's an experiment. White phosphorus is really combustible. It bursts into flames the moment you take it out of the water."

"Adding to the flame we're gonna set..."

The heir nodded, earning a gleeful look from the other person. "We should've brought more."

The heir rolled his eyes, the smirk still on his face. He motioned his head to the ground. Nodding, the other person followed him down. Then he dropped the ablaze lighter.

-----------------

"When did this happen?"

Ethan Knight paced in his study, the documents and files scattered on his table. His almost getting hair was a sticking out in different directions as if he'd been running his hands through it.

His steel blue eyes hardened as the person replied, "Last night."

"So you had the audacity to hold an auction in my city without my explicit permission and now you're blaming my son?!" His furious voice boomed through the room, stirring an air of uneasiness among the guards outside.

Ethan Knight disconnected the call and threw the phone on his desk. He stormed out of his study, ignoring the guards bowing down their heads in respect. His form was shaking with anger, the absolute horror in his heart intensifying with every step he took.

He entered his older son's room without knocking the door, only to find it empty.

He then moved to check his younger son's room also to find it empty.

"Tobias!" He yelled, rushing down the stairs. When a man in his mid 30s appeared with his head bowed, Ethan spoke. "Find my son."

"He said he was going to get some fresh air sir." Tobias said, "and he forbade me from following him."

Of course. Not just Tobias, anyone in their right mind would follow his son's orders, even outrule his own sometimes. Ethan massaged his temple, his eyes closed. "Did he tell you where he went?"

"No."

"Liam?"

"He followed master Xan-"

The front door opened, letting in a cool burst of wind. "I told you we should've got something! Now I'm hungry!" A boy complained, his ruffled brown hair falling over his eyebrows. His steel blue eyes similar to Ethan Knight's glared at the person beside him who just rolled his sapphire blue eyes and ignored him.

Both brothers were the exact copy of each other with the exception of their eyes.

"Where the hell were you both?"

The question stopped them in their tracks. The boy with the sapphire blue eyes looked away from his father, a number of emotions swirling through him.

"Red Wolf." The other boy answered, casting a glance at his brother who walked forward past his dad, only to be stopped by him holding his shoulder. "Xander." Ethan Knight said, "Are you okay?"

Xander roughly shoved off his hand. His eyes were a wall of ice, cold and unflinching as he held his father's gaze. Then without saying a word, he stormed off upstairs.

"He's in a bad mood dad." The other boy said lightly, "Just give him time."

Ethan just sighed tiredly. How much time? It was his own fault so it's only right he suffers for it.

"Was your brother home last night?" Ethan asked his younger son who looked at him in confusion. "Someone set fire to an auction house last night, killing and injuring some of the mafia heirs and bosses."

"Auction? I didn't know there was an auction last night?"

Ethan motioned to his study, walking together with his son. "Me neither. Seems they were trying to cover it up under our noses but someone made them pay for it."

"You think it's Xander."

Ethan looked at the photograph of his sons hanging on the wall. Xander was looking at the camera with his signature cold look, plain annoyance written on his face.

"He kind of announced his presence there. I believe the exact words were "You just scratched my armour, now suffer the consequences."

His son winced. "Sounds like Xander all right."

"Liam I want you to watch out for him." Ethan said suddenly, "Especially when he sneaks off at night-"

Liam cut him off. "Don't worry dad. I got it. He... shouldn't be left alone."