Page 16 of Fratelli: Eternal Bloodlines

“What the fuck happened? What?” Domencio asked, winded, almost as concerned as Lucio.

All Lucio could think of was Dolly. Blood seeped out of her nostrils and mouth. He gathered her secure in his arms as he stood, her head dropped back, her hair fell in a dark wave to the floor. He saw blood in her ears as well. Lucio threw open the door to his suite with his mind, not his room key. He carried his unconscious lover inside, desperate to save her. He didn’t even notice that Domencio had struggled to get to his feet, hurt as well, but following. Lucio went into the bedroom and put her on the bed, crippled by fear and grief.

“What the hell is she?” Domencio asked, his voice coming out in deep pants. He held his side as he healed himself. “She fucking attacked me.”

“What did you do to her?” Lucio said and wept blood tears. “What did you do!”

Domencio took a stunned. He stepped back. “I-I-I-don’t know what you’re talking about?”

“Tell me now!” Lucio roared and charged at his brother with so much force they went through the wall and crashed into the bathroom.

“I’ll kill you!”

Chapter 7

Saving Her

Bellagio Casino, Las Vegas - Nevada

April 17, 2018

(4 Days Before Death)

Though the initialcrash through the wall stunned Domencio, he landed hard on his back. His brother seemed paralyzed by the unprovoked attack he launched. It was soon apparent to Domencio that his brother in all of his mania could not hold him down or rip into him as he typically did when they fought. Lucio lay slumped on top of him and wheezed deeply for a much-needed breath. Domencio threw Lucio off his body with little effort. And Lucio rolled to his side. He struggled to sit in the upright position. When he managed to do so, he turned and dragged himself away from the fight. There were black bloodstains on the front of his shirt, and a shard of wall plaster had pierced the center of his chest. Domencio watched as Lucio struggled to pull it out, but could not, and grew paler and weaker after each attempt.

“What the hell is going on here? What is wrong with you?” Domencio scooted back from his brother as if what he hadwere contagious. When Lucio heard Domencio’s voice, he must have been reminded of his rage. He winced but tried to go at Domencio again, even with his impaled chest. Domencio scrambled to his feet and Lucio went from a crawl to his feet but dropped again to his knees. He slumped forward and avoided a complete collapse with his left hand, bracing his bent posture.

It was now clear that Lucio was in trouble. Domencio found it interesting to watch. Domencio approached. He walked around his wounded brother, observing him with keen interest. The strangeness of Dolly Brown was now set aside. For decades, he dreamed of the moment when Lucio was brought down from his great pedestal. Was this the time he had waited for? Lucio on his knees, staked in the chest, near the precipice of death?

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen, big brother. Are you… are you hurt? Let me help you…” Domencio said with a sneer.

“Darlene?”Dolly said. Her voice was hushed by the vast darkness. Dolly pushed up from the cold black floor with her hands and knees. She coughed and blood rose in her throat and covered her lips. She could taste the bitter coppery bile as if she consumed it. And then the darkness moved. Her head shot upright. She stretched her eyes to believe what she was seeing. The darkness swirled around her like a slithering serpent. The premonition of the disaster to come she warned Lucio of was near. Had she been able to pull them out of Domencio in time to save her sister? Or had she taken them somewhere far worse? Or were they both trapped in purgatory with Domencio’s inner child? She closed her eyes and shuddered.

“Lucio,” she said meekly. “Lucio, can you hear me? We need you. We need help.”

There was no reply. She did not sense him anymore. Was he dead? Dolly did her best to calm the panic rising in her. She could summon a power with Lucio that calmed his Draca. That proved she was strong enough to face this. Lucio told her so. She had to find Darlene and get them out of wherever they were. And she sensed she had to do it fast.

With all her might, Darlene squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated. The cold departed and in rushed the immense pain. She could feel her skin burns, and the heat like liquid acid dissolved tissue and bones. She was in so much pain she thought it would never end. Dolly whimpered out in agony: “Darlene!”

“I’m here,” said a weak voice to her left.

“Where is here?” Dolly said through her tears.

“How the hell would I know? You brought us here,” Darlene coughed, gagged, and groaned. The sound of her was so close that Dolly went to her knees. She used her hands instead of her eyes to find her sister. She uncovered nothing, so she crawled in the darkness toward Darlene’s groaning.

Something was wrong with Darlene. Dolly was not physically hurt, but she felt the pain and barely could move from it. What Darlene must have been experiencing was far more traumatic. She felt every bit of her agony. The Draca’s flames had ravaged every tendon and sinew in Darlene’s body. It meant she had to be mortally wounded by the attack. Why had Dolly even thought she and Darlene could attack Domencio in the way she did? What if Darlene was dying?

“Where are you? I don’t see you!” Dolly stopped crawling. She wept. She had not felt so much fear and grief since her parents died. If she lost Darlene, she didn’t know how she would recover. “Tell me where you are, so I can help you!”

“Right here, dummy!” her sister said. “Geesh, you’re annoying. Stop all of your hollering!”

Dolly wiped at her tears. With a deep breath, she began to crawl into the darkness. She ignored how the darkness parted for her and brushed against her as she moved through it. She hated the darkness. It was scary and vast. It was alive! She wanted out.

If she escaped, she would never do what she attempted with Domencio again. She swore it to herself.And she would never banish Darlene to it again. If she had to share her with Lucio, so be it.

“I’m right here,” replied a child-like voice.

Dolly saw a small hand covered in burns lift out of the smoke. Her vision sharpened and she could see through the dark fog. Darlene lay on her back, only six years old. Her hair had been burned away, leaving her face and scalp covered in burns and lesions. Why was she made to suffer this way? She had been through enough! Dolly thought to herself.

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