MALICIOUS !
chapter one: brother
author
boston, massachusetts 1841
the peer buzzed with ruckus.
fishermen boarding for work, people arriving from europe after traveling for months at most, trading companies getting their goods in, children running around, couples bidding their goodbyes to one another.
the USS Alliance had just docked in the boston harbor moment ago. the passengers getting off safely as they go their own separate ways to return home.
nicolas sturniolo was the last to get off the ship, his two triplet brothers ahead of him.
they had been visiting portugal all summer.
their mother had recently passed away, hence their long stay in her home land where she wished to be buried. they kept that promise. their father resided back in italy and their oldest brother justin held down the fort here in new england.
it was a long year, to say the least. but as long as they had each other, they’d be okay, right?
they had burrowed together with this new phase in their lives.
matthew is rushing ahead which quickly catches nicolas’ attention. he’s pushing through the crowd in which christopher and nicolas have a hard time catching up with him.
the seagulls pry above the dead fish and uncooked meat that’s in the many crates that are being put on ships for trading across seas. the clouds seem to be getting darker, heavier with the rain that drags in it.
nicolas is turning red with frustration over his triplet brother. with the noise and rotten smells the peer carries, he’s easily not in a great mood.
especially after being on a ship for a month with strangers. he was always one to always get sea sick as well which ties into his frustration at the moment.
matthew stops at the street post and inspects the area. he raises his hand above his eyes, pressing into his brow bone and squints.
christopher puffs for air when he finally catches up with matthew at his stop. nicolas is close behind, he nearly trips before catching up with his brothers and standing with them.
“are you out of your mind, brother?” nicolas is hunched over with his hands on his knees, attempting to capture some air in his tired out lungs. “what’s got you in such a elated state?”
matthew’s eyes foster over the crowd and a smile perks on his chapped lips when he sees her.
her flaxen hair appeared to make her stand out from the crowd of people. in all her might, standing at five foot four in the most stunning red garment, her rosy cheeks bringing out her sea colored eyes: lilith bloodthorne.
the boy yells her name before racing over to her but this time his brothers don’t follow so quickly.
“do you think she still remembers him?” christopher snorts, glancing at matthew who’s running down to lilith.
“he’s ought to be out of his mind!” nicolas shrivels, his voice high when he sees his own brother running like a damn lunatic.
lilith jumps with joy when she sees matthew running to her, she ends up meeting him half way. he grabs by the waist and lifts her with delight. she caress his head in her small hands and places the sweetest kiss on his lips.
when he finally puts her down he doesn’t dare to let go. he pulls her in for the biggest hug and takes in her flowery scent.
“my love, it has been too long.” he whispers into her ear.
“matthew, i’m so happy you’re here. and safe! i was worried i wouldn’t see you today…” she confesses as they pull back from the romantic embrace.
“we’re here too, lilith.” christopher’s voice causes the couple to turn their heads. him and nicolas now stood a few feet away from the couple with unsurprised expressions.
“why do you say that, darling?” matthew ignores his brother and turns back to his girl. he drops his hands from his waist and now only held her hand.
“didn’t you hear? a ship arrived yesterday with no passengers aboard. only thing they found was a bunch of luggage yet no one was on the ship.” she explained to her boyfriend.
nicolas draws his attention to his brother’s girlfriend and he raises a brow.
“how is that possible? there must’ve been someone steering the ship if it made it back here.” he wasn’t sure about the story he was being told. there was something else that wasn’t being told.
lilith shakes her head.
“there wasn’t a single person on the boat when it was found. my brother—“
christopher cuts off the fair woman.
“your brother? the same man who’s known to have stolen plenty of antiques from my father’s own kip shop?”
matthew is quick to defend lilith to his own brother. he’s shaking his head with a stern frown on his lips when he’s pointing to his brother.
“can you not, brother?” matthew declared.
“but he’s right.” nicolas had his arms folded over his broad chest when he agrees with christopher.
matthew objects to the accusations he’s receiving from his own siblings.
“how dare you speak about your sister-in-law’s family in such an offensive manner!”
both christopher and nicolas have their jaws on the floor.
“sister-in-law?”
lilith steps into the conversation when she wraps her arm around matthew’s waist and looks up at him lovingly. she lifts up her left arm where a ring adorned her ring finger on her hand.
“he proposed before you guys left for portugal.” she exclaimed.
“and i promise we’d have the wedding when i returned…” matthew added.
nicolas and christopher hadn’t even met this woman a handful of times yet before they left at the beginning of summer. this was just so rushed and unexpected.
matthew was not quite the most outgoing or charming boy in boston. but ever since he had met lilith, she brought out a side of him that not even his own family recognized.
he was now very brave, craved danger, and always spoke his mind. but before out of the three, he had always been the weakest and most sensitive. but now he was just… different.
he had mention lilith a few times to his brothers when he first started seeing her. on their voyage he had mentioned a few things about her but never mentioned anything once about being engaged to her.
it upset both of them to the core. not only were they against it, but they were hurt. the triplets had always been so close and personal with each other. it was a bond like no other, a secret relationship that the world would never understand.
it strikes nicolas and christopher inconsiderate of matthew which was never apart of his typical character to begin with.
but that’s what love does to you, doesn’t it? it can bring out many sides of you, both the good and the bad.
“the wedding will be friday. won’t it, my love?” lilith turns to look up at matthew who’s already smiling down at her.
“anything you want, my darling.”
the triplets and lilith ride back on carriage to the sturniolo estate. it had much grandeur and elegance, reflecting the wealth and status of its owners.
it sprawled across acres of meticulously landscaped gardens, framed by ancient oak trees and winding pathways lined with blooming roses and hedges trimmed into intricate designs.
the manor itself stood as a testament to opulence, with its imposing stone facade adorned with elaborate carvings and a grand entrance flanked by towering columns.
inside, the rooms were adorned with exquisite tapestries, ornate chandeliers, and polished wood paneling that exuded warmth and luxury.
the drawing room boasted plush velvet sofas and gilded mirrors, while the dining hall showcased a long mahogany table set with fine china and silverware fit for a banquet.
surrounding the main house were stables housing sleek horses, a carriage house with elegant carriages, and a charming gardener's cottage nestled among fragrant flower beds.
the manor’s helpers greet the boys and lilith once they have arrived. they receive help with their luggage and any other assistance that was needed.
christopher and nicolas are ahead of lilith and matthew when they get off the carriage and are walking their the garden to get into the manor.
“we’re seriously not going to let him marry her, right?” nicolas whispers to christopher.
“did you see the look in his eyes when he saw her? the poor boy is long gone.” christopher scoffs. he had his hands stuffed into his grey trousers.
“this… this isn’t right. there seems to be something off.” nicolas asserted with his head low.
“what are you proposing, brother?” christopher puckers his lips in question.
“we barley know this woman. what if she’s only using matthew for the money? it wouldn’t be the first time a woman has tried to claw her way into our wealth.”
chris rolls his eyes.
“is that your finale guess?” christopher stopped moving his feet. he turns on his heels to face nicolas who mirrored his actions.
“yes.” nicolas nods.
“i honestly think that she let him get in her sheets faster than most women would and now that’s all he thinks about when it comes to her.” christopher places his hand on his brother’s shoulder and pats him a bit.
nicolas gawks.
“oh you’re sick.”
“don’t knock it till you try it, brother. we’re about to be eighteen and you haven’t even kissed a woman yet.” christopher cackles.
nicolas burns a shade of pink in embarrassment when his brother calls him out. he kisses his teeth before continuing to walk again, christopher only laughs more and follows his triplet.
“there’s just something wrong about this girl. i feel it.” nicolas muttered between him and christopher.
both of them look back at the couple who appear to be in their own little world as they locked arms during their walk. matthew notices his brothers gaze and waves at them warmly.
lilith pretends not to notice this interaction. she dumbly giggles at matthew and whispers something in his ear. he turns to her with a grin and nod.
“we’ll catch up with you two later. me and the missus are gonna explore the garden for a bit.” matthew yells over to his brothers. he turns away with lilith beside him while christopher and nicolas continue walking into their home.
“explore the garden? as if we haven’t lived here our entire lives!” nicolas seethes.
“good pussy makes a man—“
“don’t you dare finish that sentence, christopher, or so may the lord help me!”
the following days, they barely see matthew. it’s crazy how they all lived under the same roof yet they felt like their own brother was disappearing right before them.
it was now thursday which makes the wedding ceremony tomorrow. the manor was busy with the preparations for such a big event for matthew and lilith.
christopher was sitting at the dining table reading the paper while eating the breakfast the maids had prepared for the boys. nicolas steps into the kitchen with his brown ensemble and slicked hair to the side.
he greets the maid with the smile and sits across from christopher at the table. matthew’s seat was empty, which wasn’t unusual these last couple of days so they didn’t bother questioning it.
“morning, brother.” christopher tells nicolas, his eyes not leaving the newspaper he had in his hands.
the maid places a full plate and a cup of fresh orange juice in front of nicolas. he thanks her before continuing his conversation with christopher.
“the jolly ol’ couple didn’t return home last night.” nicolas informed his triplet.
“so?” chris turns the page of his newspaper.
“their wedding is tomorrow and what will we tell people when the bride and groom don’t appear?” nicolas picks up his fork and picks at his eggs.
“i’m sure they’ll be back sometime today. they haven’t shut up about their stupid wedding all week so i doubt they’ll miss it.” chris moves his head slightly to stretch it as he continues reading.
nicolas sighs.
he eats the rest of his breakfast in silence while christopher finishes up reading his daily newspaper. christopher occasionally sips from his mug of tea up until he’s done reading and places the paper on the wooden table.
“it’s quite upsetting he doesn’t wanna tell father that he’s getting married.” christopher announced causing nicolas to choke on his bacon.
“pardon?”
“yeah! i asked him yesterday while we went on a stroll alone. i asked him if he had written to father about the wedding and he said he isn’t going to tell him about it until he’s ready.” christopher elaborates.
“until he’s ready? he’s officially gone mad!” nicolas slams his hand on the table. “i’m gonna give him a piece of my mind when he comes back… if he won’t tell father then i will!”
so nicolas waited.
he waited and waited, hours upon hours the entire day. he sat on a rocking chair on the tiled porch as he waited for matthew’s return… but it never came.
he had christopher go into town to look for matthew and lilith but it turns up that no one had even seen the couple in days either.
the two quickly became worried.
they informed their entire staff about the situation and executed a plan to search for the couple by tomorrow if they didn’t show up by midnight.
they had hoped maybe the couple got carried away and wondered into a different town near by, or maybe got lost and needed a recuse. it didn’t make sense for them to go missing right before their big day.
a mad storm rolled into boston. shaking the ground with thunder and flashing the city with lighting throughout the night. the electricity within the home had gone out.
nicolas couldn’t sleep. all he thought about was his younger brother. he wondered if he was alright and where he might be. he had a gut feeling lilith might have something to do with this but apart of him hoped he was wrong. that maybe the couple had stumbled into trouble and it was neither of their faults.
he tossed and turned in his bed.
it was nearly two in the morning when he decided to go check up on christopher to see if his brother was alright and able to sleep unlike him. he turns the knob of his door and opens it slowly. he peaks into the empty hallway and steps on the tiled floor.
his bare feet pat on their way to christopher’s room down the hall. nicolas knocks before grabbing the handle and turning it to open the door.
he peaks his head into the room but quickly swings it right open when he sees an empty bed. at the same time of his discovery, he hears a loud bang come from outside in the backyard.
nicolas gasps and runs out the room.
he runs down the stairs and sprints out the door, thinking the worst already but hoping it wasn’t anything involving his brothers. it’s pouring rain yet he didn’t seem to care at the moment.
there’s a wail suddenly, the hairs on his neck rise. he’s panting as he runs to where he hears the noise come from.
“christopher!” he yells his brother’s name.
he finds himself running more into the grove in the dark night. he’s panicking yet running off the adrenaline he’s feeling.
the rain had slowly trickled down but the rain still sprinkled from the midnight sky above. he’s soaked and his hair is a complete mop. he’s squinting his eyes into the darkness when he thinks he sees someone.
“christopher!” he shouts.
he gets closer to the figure by walking instead of running this time. the person seems to notice him and began walking closer as well.
he’s halfway there when he realizes who it was.
lilith.
“oh nicolas!” she praises in relief.
“i’m so glad i found you!” she’s soaked in the rain as well. she’s wearing a nightgown and was also barefoot.
“where have you been? where’s matthew?” he pressed her.
“we had just returned from new jersey! but when we did, christopher had greeted us at the door. he was really angry for some reason…” she walks closer to nicolas but he doesn’t dare move from his spot.
there was something about her that was throwing him off.
it was scaring him.
“he picked a fight with matthew verbally before things got physical. he was just so full of rage he hurt both matthew and i.” she shows nicolas the blood on her gown that was near her chest area.
“matthew was just so hurt and felt betrayed. i think the anger got the best of him—“
“where are they?” nicolas cut off her sharply.
lilith now stood in front of nicolas. his face only inching a bit from hers. water dripped from her nose and fell between the valley of her breasts.
“matthew grabbed his gun and chased off christopher. i came looking for them.” her voice appears to be solum and relaxed.
“alone?”
he wasn’t comprehending any of this. why would a woman be outside in the pouring rain all alone at this hour? matthew was never this violent with their sibling fights and christopher knew his limits with matthew when it came to their fights.
nicolas is staring down at lilith as he waits for her answer.
“well i’m not one to share my meals.” she wickedly smiles at him, fangs prompting out profusely. her eyeballs turn bloodshot while her lower eyelids grow dark and veiny.
her grip is strong when she pulls him closer to her. she’s quick with it too, he doesn’t realize when she’s doing to him by the time he’s got her fangs in his neck.
he tries to fight against her, doing everything in his power to get her away. he’s clawing at her and finally she lets go with a hiss when punches her in the rib as hard as he could.
he shoves her away in which she tumbles back. he touches his neck and feels a warm liquid on his fingers. he looks down at his hand and sees the blood on it.
he lets out a gasp.
he’s in complete shock.
he wants to move but his body won’t let him. he’s feels his whole world coming down on him as he realizes he’s about to die.
he thinks of matthew and christopher.
lilith gains balance once again and was ready to finish off nicolas. she lunged herself at him causing the both of them to fall to the ground.
she’s attacking his neck once again but this time he’s too weak to fight back. his vision becomes blurry as he falls limp.
the sound of a gunshot rang in the air causing him to widen his eyes. lilith lets out a scream when nicolas now notices a bullet that’s stuck in her shoulder blade.
she raises above nicolas to run off and escape. but before she does, she sinisterly smiles down at him with such pride in her eyes.
“you were right.” she mocks him before dispersing before his eyes.
there’s blood all over him and he feels himself give out slowly. he hears familiar yelling and he could nearly cry when he sees matthew standing above him.
matthew gasp in horror when he falls down on his knees besides nicolas.
“no… not you too.” he quietly whines.
nicolas tries to speak but he fails to. he’s thinking matthew is about to say his finale goodbye, that he’s gonna carry this trauma for the rest of his life seeing his own triplet die.
but he doesn’t.
instead, he puts his right wrist in front of his mouth and bites into it. there’s blooding leaking from his pale skin and he rubs it against nicolas’ lips.
“drink it. it’ll be okay.” matthew gently rubs nicolas’ scalp to try and comfort him.
nicolas shakes his head, not understanding why he had to do this. matthew simply doesn’t that no for an answer and begins to force nicolas to drink his own blood.
it was the last thing nicolas remembers before falling unconscious.
the next morning, he’s in his own bed again. he jumps to sit up and touches his neck due to his last memories. he feels that there’s no blood or wounds on his neck.
he scrunches his brows together in confusion as he gets out of bed to look in the mirror. he examines himself but only to find nothing wrong with him.
maybe it was a bad dream?
he hopes it was.
the birds were chirping outside his window and the sky was now clear. there was no sight of rain at all.
he shakes his head to rid himself of the thoughts of the horrible nightmare he experienced last night. he goes to his door and opens it to leave the room.
he’s undeniably starving right now. he makes his way downstairs once again for breakfast. he’s walking to the dining room when he smells the most delicious scent.
he hears christopher and matthew in the dining room as well which causes him to smile to himself. he definitely was just dreaming last night.
he’s beaming when he turns around the corner into the dining room.
but his smile plummets at the sight before him.
a deceased body was placed in the middle of the table. christopher was gawning at the person’s neck like a zombie, not sign of life behind his crystal eyes.
matthew is right before him, standing next to him with a comforting hand on his back. as if he was helping christopher deal with a negative matter and was giving him reassurance. matthew sees nicolas walk into the room and smiles up at him.
“come in! come in! we have plenty of more of these so don’t worry about christopher being a body hogger.” matthew chuckles casually and points at the body in front of him on the table.
nicolas is beyond speechless.
he’s frozen up again.
“don’t be scared, nicolas.” matthew shakes his head at the shaken up boy. he steps over to his triplet and looks him dead in the cold dead eyes.
“it’s just me, brother.”
JJ SPEAKS…
erm so yeah next chapter soon lmk if yall fw this lowkey long ass chapter but it’s an important one 😭 next chapter shouldn’t be as long (i think) also idk why but when i pictured chris at the end i thought of him when he eating that god damn pancakes and looked DEAD ASF LMAO sorry anyways next chapter out soon. check out the cast if you haven’t yet!!