Page 143 of Fratelli: Eternal Bloodlines

“He had to do it,” Sonya continued, her voice strained. “To heal me. So, I could wake and heal you. When I woke up, I was in his arms... and he... he mated me to him.”

Shakespeare’s eyes narrowed at the wordmate.

“He had to,” she blurted. Desperation crept into her voice. “We would’ve been lost to the darkness if he hadn’t. He saved us both.”

Shakespeare’s voice dropped, quiet but intense. “What does it mean? Do you love him too?”

“Never!” Sonya reached for his hand, relieved when he didn’t pull away. She could see the raw hurt in his eyes. “I love you. Only you. I just need Darlene to come back. She can heal me of this blood link. I know she can.”

Shakespeare’s jaw clenched. “And Tristan?”

“He’s Liora’s mate. He belongs to Charmaine. He hasn’t reached out to me. He hasn’t called for me. He may not even be affected?—”

“That’s bullshit, goddess,” Shakespeare interrupted, his voice hard. “I know the effect you can have on a vampire like us. He tasted you. He’s affected.”

“Please, don’t—” Sonya pleaded.

“I’m not full of rage or jealousy anymore,” Shakespeare said, though his eyes betrayed the pain behind his words. “My ego cost me, Camille, destroyed Sophie. What I did to her... I can never atone for.”

Sonya cupped his face, lifting his chin until their eyes met. “No. That wasn’t you. I know who you are, and so does Sophie. The man inside, not the Draca. We are one, Shakespeare. Nothing can defeat us. Not Sophie’s ghost, not our curse. We’ll find Darlene and bring her back. She’ll fix this. She’ll fix me.”

Shakespeare’s face softened as he leaned in, kissing her with hope she didn’t feel she deserved. “I’ll never let you down, goddess. Never. But I must warn you, I will never let anyone take you from me. Ever,” he said.

Domencio didn’t botherto knock. He pushed open the door to his brother’s chamber and hesitated at the threshold. The room was thick with darkness and sorrow. It carried Marcello’s grief twisted in the shadows, coiled into rage. It was palpable, dangerous. Domencio tread carefully.

“Brother, may I speak?”

The door slammed shut behind him. Marcello, though younger, had mastered the coven’s dark tenants. A student of the ancient Draqurian arts, he understood their enemy better thananyone. His power was refined, barely contained by his elevated emotions.

“I was there. With Papa. In the end,” Domencio said, his voice steady despite the tension.

Marcello’s voice was ice. “Who killed him? Lucio’s witch?”

“Phoenix killed him,” Domencio lied smoothly, knowing full well the risk. If Marcello believed the twins had killed Vittorio, there would be no stopping the bloodbath that would follow. The guardians, the sisters—everything tied to the realm—would end in slaughter. The brotherhood would fracture beyond repair. And even worse was his own demise. Marcello would never forgive him for taking their father’s life. Domencio had to protect what was left of his family, even if it meant deception.

It was strange how the roles had reversed. He was the last one who truly understood the coven and the Fratelli of four. He knew how fragile it had become.

“I was there when Father fell,” Domencio continued. “Because of Phoenix’s dark magic, Darlene and I were cast into Julia Brown’s curse—into the dark realm—captive by Papa Legba.”

The shadows in the room shifted, and Marcello materialized from the darkness, his form solidifying. His expression was hard, unreadable.

“I’m listening,” Marcello said, his voice low.

“In the dark realm, Darlene faced Papa Legba. And she killed him.”

Marcello’s brow furrowed, skepticism in his gaze. “Impossible. There is no true death in the dark realm. It’s merely the gate to death.”

Domencio nodded. “I thought the same. But I watched her drain him.”

Marcello’s eyes narrowed. “She took his power?”

“She did,” Domencio said quietly. “Turned him to dust. And then she begged me to release her. Said if I didn’t, she’d become him—become the very thing she sought to destroy. She wanted to save Lucio, but to do she had to give up her physical form stolen from a shapeshifter and reunite with her sister, as the Chosen. They needed to face Draquria together.”

“How did you release her?” Marcello asked, his curiosity piqued.

“The same way we were cast inside,” Domencio said. “Through the magic you and Phoenix created. A gem. It was in Father’s house, a relic from the crown of the Guardian Mother. Darlene said it weakened all our powers and sped up the curse. Something Phoenix did to it reversed its powers to heal to darkness.”

Marcello’s expression saddened. “I helped tap into that power. We were supposed to use it to heal Father, not weaken him. Phoenix tricked me.”

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