Page 9 of Fratelli: Eternal Bloodlines

Dolly felt a shiver run down her spine but forced herself to stay calm. “What about Julia Brown? Why is she connected to your father?”

Lucio’s jaw tightened. “She was my Manman. The most powerful hoodoo priestess of the new world. She cursed him, cursed all of us. When my father took us from her, she warned him:

‘Take de boys. Break de seal. Pay a new price. One hun’red years from ta’dey, one hun’red years from ta’night, dere would be one, only one, and he be de worst of you. De bringer of death.’

“She wanted to punish the world for what happened to her people. For all the children she lost to slavery. And she succeeded. Her curse created the imbalance between light and darkness, allowing gods like Papa Legba to manipulate destiny.”

Dolly touched his cheek, her voice soft. “I’m so sorry, Lucio.”

He gave her a brave smile. “It’s not your fault. It’s fate. We’re abominations, Dolly. I never should’ve existed. You and Darlene should never have been divided.”

At the foot of the bed, Darlene clasped her hands, tears streaming down her face. For the first time, Dolly felt pity for her sister. The magic and curses that tore them apart had stripped them all of choice.

“The choice was made for us,” Dolly whispered.

“Yes, Tesoro. The choice was made for us,” Lucio said.

“If you could choose, what would you want?” she asked.

Lucio hesitated, then smiled. “You already know.”

“Tell me,” she urged.

“I want you and Darlene,” he admitted quietly. “I must be honest. I love you both.”

Darlene stepped forward, her eyes lighting up, but Dolly’s anger flared. She clenched her fists, refusing to let Darlene see her fury.

Suddenly, objects flew across the room—a champagne glass shattered against the ice chest. Lucio startled, his eyes darted to Dolly, assuming it was her.

Darlene smiled triumphantly. Dolly narrowed her eyes and, with a wave of energy, blasted her sister back to the cage in her mind. When she opened her eyes again, Darlene was gone.

Lucio’s voice softened. “Don’t be angry with me.”

Dolly cupped his face in her hands, her expression fierce. “I only want you,” she said with quiet triumph. “And soon, you’ll see—I’m enough for both of us.”

Before he could respond, she kissed him, her passion silencing his doubts. Lucio returned the kiss, unaware of the double meaning behind her words. Darlene was gone.

Chapter 4

The Real World

The Canyon - Arizona

April 17, 2018

(4 Days Before Death)

It was early still.And Lucio, after making love to her for the hundredth time, told her they would have to prepare to leave. He put on a robe and went to fetch a large basin from the igloo. Inside the tent were several gigantic canisters of water. Lucio picked them up as if he were Hercules. It thrilled Dolly to see his muscles flex and him working hard to make her feel like a princess. She watched from the bed as he filled the basin with water and dropped in herbs and petals of flowers to scent and turn the water into a deep lavender.

“You’ve done this before?” Dolly asked.

“I’ve lived several lives. Been many things to many women,” Lucio said.

“Oh, so this is what you do for all your women?” She teased with a tinge of jealousy. “Those women in Scarlet Hall, on the wall? My mother?”

He paused.

She let the accusation hang in the air. Then he replied as if she hadn’t said what they both knew she had.

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