Page 144 of Fratelli: Eternal Bloodlines

“It made Padre vulnerable,” Domencio said. “It drove him mad. Phoenix used it to kill him.”

Marcello’s face went pale, his voice a whisper. “So... I killed Father?”

“No,” Domencio eyes stretched wide. He added quickly. “Not intentionally.”

Marcello’s eyes glazed over. He paced, his movements frantic. “I killed him. It was me. All these years, I wanted to be the one to save us, to prove we were more than the Draca. I thought I could cure him. And because of me, Phoenix destroyed everything. It’s my fault.”

“No, Marcello, you aren’t listening to me—” Domencio pleaded.

But Marcello was listening. His eyes were wild, his voice hollow. “I killed Father. I killed Father.Ho ucciso mio padre.”

Domencio grabbed his brother’s arm. He forced him to stop pacing. “Focus. We’re not done. I think Lucio and the Chosen are trapped either in the dark realm, or somewhere worse. We need to find a way to release them. Can you do that? Do you know how?”

Marcello stared at him, his face blank for a moment before he retreated into the shadows, his form fading into the darkness of the room. Domencio let out a heavy sigh, his frustration mounted.

He did not know what to do next.

Epilogue

THE CHOICE

Julia Brown’s Cabin

Manchac Swamp

No Time - No Era

Darlene’s eyesopened in a slow manner. The ceiling above her, decayed and weathered, whispered of lifetimes long past. The cabin groaned under its weight, every wooden plank and nail a testament to the nearly two hundred years it had stood. The air was thick with the scent of earth and something ancient, something that had witnessed too many secrets. She lay beneath the softest of covers, the warmth of the bed cocooning her in a false sense of peace.

Turning her head, she saw Lucio. He slept beside her, his face serene, a stark contrast to the storm they had endured to bring him back. The battle had drained him completely, leaving behind the Draquria, as they rescued the man. This cabin—whether a sanctuary or something more sinister—had become a place of healing and love, where the sisters had spent what felt like an eternity mending Lucio’s tattered soul.

Dolly lay draped across him, her arm possessively resting on his chest. Lucio’s arm hooked around her waist to hold her to this left side, so she remained on his chest. His other hand lay hidden beneath the covers. It cradled Darlene’s sex. They both seemed so content, so at peace, their bodies tangled in a union only Lucio—a Supreme Vampire—could maintain. His appetites, now boundless, satisfied them both equally, endlessly. To recover, to stop him from overconsuming them both sexually and mentally the sisters had to join powers and put him to sleep.

Darlene’s gaze lingered on them. She reached under the covers; she moved Lucio’s hand. He didn’t stir. Dolly’s light glowed softly, a radiant shield kept Lucio in a deep sleep and guarded him with her love. It would hold, but not for long. Darlene knew she’d have to return.

It was the perfect time for Darlene to slip away.

She eased out of the bed, her movements deliberate, though the cabin seemed to protest her departure. The old wooden floor creaked beneath her bare feet as if the house itself knew she was breaking from the sacred union they shared. Lucio remained still, unmoving in his restful state.

Darlene pulled on a robe and winced. The fabric slid over some bites, still healing on her skin. She glanced around the modest room; her eyes traced the details. Everything seemed untouched, preserved as if frozen in time. Was this Julia Brown’s room? Was this the space where the old hoodoo priestess who sacrificed children she loved and who loved her had raised and nurtured them in secrecy deep within the Louisiana swamps?

She leaned down. She pressed a soft kiss to Lucio’s lips, then his brow. Dolly’s light shimmered as her eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Darlene, but before she could speak, Darlene pressed a finger to her lips, communicating silently through their telepathic bond.

“I’m not leaving him. I will keep my promise… I swear,”Darlene said.

Dolly’s lips curved into a smile of relief, and her light settled back over Lucio. It lulled him into a deeper slumber. Darlene forced a smile in return, though a heaviness tugged at her chest. She found her tattered dress she’d worn to seduce Domencio and the gem she had kept hidden within its lace. She then slipped out of the room and into the front of the cabin.

The only light came from the flicker in the fireplace, its flames rose and crackled as if aware of her presence. Shadows danced across the small space. Each cast eerie reflections over the walls. There was a rocking chair near the fire, its old cushions worn and hand sewn. It moved slowly, creaking back and forth on its own as if some unseen force was keeping it company. A small bench had been transformed into a makeshift sofa, adorned with handmade pillows, each one frayed with time. The scene was deceptively cozy, but something about the room felt haunted, as if the memories of the past lingered in every corner.

Darlene’s gaze fell on another door. She opened it to find a small room with four tiny cots, toy trucks, and wooden puppets scattered across the floor. These were the remnants of the Di Salvo boys’ childhood. There was no longer any doubt. They were back in Louisiana, in Julia Brown’s cabin, a place steeped in magic and history—perhaps even a purgatory of sorts.

She quietly shut the door and moved to the kitchen table near an iron stove. Sitting down, she finally exhaled, her body sagging from the weight of the battle they had fought for Lucio’s soul. The victory had been fragile and uncertain. They hadn’t truly won—what they had done was pull Lucio from the abyss, giving him some control over the Supreme, sparing the world from its wrath. They had chosen a safe place for him. A place he felt most human. A place Phoenix magic had robbed him of preciousmemories and kept him from returning too. Here the man they loved could heal and grow strong again.

Darlene winced. She shifted in her seat. Her body still ached—not just from the battle, but from Lucio’s passions. He had consumed them both, treating them as one entity, yet also as two distinct souls. Dolly had offered herself freely, letting him drink from her until he was sated. But Darlene had to stop them, had to control the energy between them. She had let him drink from her as well, but only until exhaustion took him, and he collapsed into sleep. The rest of the time, Dolly had used her light to heal them all, binding their broken bodies with her power.

Darlene opened her palm and stared at the gem that rested there. Her heart clenched as tears welled up in her eyes. She hadn’t betrayed Domencio by giving herself physically to Lucio—not truly. She was Lucio’s too. On that, she was clear. She had accepted that truth long ago. But she loved Domencio first, with the purest part of herself that Lucio didn’t know. That love had been hers alone, something sacred and fleeting.

She closed her hand around the gem, its surface cold and smooth. A tear slipped down her cheek as she silently summoned her dark energy, reaching out with her mind. She needed to find Domencio. She needed him to understand.

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