Page 19 of Fratelli: Eternal Bloodlines

“Lucio!” Dolly coughed from the bed. The sound of her voice snatched him back from the attack. Instead of charging Domencio he zipped out of the destroyed bathroom and returned to her side. She was alive. He sent an urgent message to Tristan. His beloved was not dead. He felt her reach out to help him. Domencio remained unaware.

Chapter 8

You Need to Feed

Bellagio Casino, Las Vegas - Nevada

April 17, 2018

(4 Days Before Death)

“Lucio?”Dolly coughed and wheezed.

In a flash, Lucio was at her side. He gently lifted her head and neck to help her breathe. Her skin felt feverish to the touch, and her eyes remained closed, though he saw movement under her lids. She mumbled incoherently before slipping back into unconsciousness.

“Per favore, amore mio, svegliati,”Lucio pleaded for her to wake up. He knew how much she enjoyed hearing him speak to her that way. Still, there was no real response from her.

“Carissima? Dolly?” Lucio moved her long tresses away from her face and stroked her cheek. Even with blood on her lips, he kissed her. He tried again to reach her mentally and failed. He shook her gently, panic rising in his heart. “Stai bene, you’re okay. I’m going to get you help.”

Domencio heard Lucio speaking softly and with tenderness inside the bedroom. He was temporarily stunned by the forceLucio had used to bring him down. It was unworldly. It took a moment for Domencio’s broken back to heal enough for him to stand. He had never seen his brother summon so much strength and recover so swiftly all at once.

Domencio walked out of the bathroom. Lucio was at the woman’s bedside on his knees. His brother whispered to her in a desperate voice and tried to rouse her. He observed the two of them, reached into his pocket, removed his phone, and took a picture of Lucio’s distress. He sent the picture to his brothers with a simple message: LOVEBIRDS.

The door to the suite opened. Lucio assumed it meant Domencio had left. He did not give a shit. He kissed Dolly’s feverish brow, swimming in relief that she was alive.

Tristan entered the bedroom with a medic and four other people, three men and one woman. The team shadowing him wore dark blue suits with gold M’s pinned to their lapels—Marcello’s organization. Lucio’s third eye saw it all, but he and his Draca focused solely on Dolly. He tried again to rouse her from the state she kept slipping deeper into. Blood spots on her white shirt and her ravaged breathing were the only proof that life existed in her. At least she was breathing. Their psychic connection was once again severed.

“MASTER?” Tristan’s voice burrowed into Lucio’s dark despair. There were only a few times when Tristan summoned that kind of power and called Lucio ‘Master’. It worked. Lucio was reminded of his position in the Di Salvo family and got off his knees.

The psychic whip to his subconsciousness steeled him against his emotions and allowed him to focus—he was being watched. There once was a time when he was so lost in self-hate and despair that he needed mental smacking’s.

“Lucio.” Dolly groaned.

Again, he reacted to the sound of her voice. He lifted her up off the bed and held her up in his arms. He held her protectively to his chest.

“We need to get her to a hospital,” said Lucio to the room in a calm, even voice.

Dolly was limp, her head dropped over. Lucio had to shift her weight in his arms to keep her close to him. He made a step to leave but Tristan stepped forward. Their eyes leveled and met. Domencio leaned against the doorframe of the destroyed bathroom and observed.

“Maestro, per favore incontra Sadeek Patel. È un medico qui al Bellagio. Assisterà il team di Marcello con lei,”said Tristan.

Tristan introduced the medic he brought with Marcello’s team and pleaded with Domencio to let them tend to her. The medic gave a curt nod of respect. Marcello’s scientists stood frozen, expressionless. Lucio's gaze cutover to Domencio. His brother winked.

“I’m taking her to the hospital,” Lucio said and stepped forward. To his dismay, Tristan stepped in his way. A clear sign of disrespect that Lucio would never tolerate. Tristan, however, held firm.

“Maestro, l’aiuto che offrono è molto più rapido, considerando il suo stato fisico unico. Per favore, permetta loro di intervenire.”Tristan bowed his head in a submissive manner.

Then Tristan lifted his gaze with humility. He regarded Lucio with respect and the term “Master” he used pleaded for the Draca and Lucio to be heard. Of course, he was right. However, Lucio had so much aged anger inside of him, he wanted to react. Even in her distressed state, she had reached out through the darkness and saved his life. Lucio knew Domencio would have killed him if she hadn’t.

Grateful for the effort but racked with grief that it could have made her condition worse, Lucio narrowed his eyes at Tristan, unable to lower Dolly from his protective embrace. The room remained silent, all eyes on him, especially Domencio’s.

“Fidati di me.Trust me. Have I ever failed you?” Tristan’s tone remained firm.

Lucio’s resolve faltered. He turned away and placed his beloved gently on the bed. The medic rushed in with his case, and the team swarmed the bed immediately with their equipment. Lucio’s Draca surged within him in protective anger, but he forced himself to turn away. His eyes met Domencio’s. “Let’s finish this.”

“You talking to me?” Domencio pointed at his chest with a sly grin. “Va bene.”

Domencio strolled out.

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