Page 29 of Fratelli: Eternal Bloodlines

“Please don’t argue. The Guardians don’t like it. You’re sisters now.”

Sonya rolled her eyes.

“The plan is for Sonya to go to the Pink Pussy. One of our contacts works there. Monitors the vampires. She showed Sophie some of your viral videos on YouTube. Suggested that you headline Sophie’s big event. To announce the opening of her new club in the warehouse district, you’re the special guest. We faked a negotiation on your behalf after Lucio revealed Dolly to the supernatural world.”

“What? No! I’m not a stripper anymore. I’m a businesswoman. I use OnlyFans since Backpage shut down. Only high-rollers get my time,” Sonya said.

“We need you to get close to Sophie and Shakespeare. The darkness has an opening with those two. None of the consiglieri, not even Raven, the sadistic fucker, makes Shakespeare’s mistakes.”

“Did you hear me? I’m not a stripper anymore. If my clients found out—” Sonya paused. She clutched her head as the pain hit it like a sledgehammer. “Whoever, this bitch is in my head, needs to stop controlling me. Owe!”

Charmaine touched her back.

“I’m okay. It’s stopped. Fine. I’ll do it,” Sonya mumbled.

“You will?” Charmaine asked.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’ll swing from the chandelier for how she fixed my body. I just want to get this over with.”

“And me? What do I do?” Charmaine asked.

“You go to the Bellagio and meet Lamont Doucet, the rapper working for Tristan and Lucio. Tell him you’re in town for Sonya’s debut and want to see Russell and Dolly. That you want to hang out.”

“Lamont’s a vampire?” Charmaine asked.

“I don’t know. Greenlee said to work him,” Nzinga replied.

“So, she gets to see Dolly, and I have to strip for low-life vampires?” Sonya muttered. “Why can’t I strip for the brothers? They are more of my clientele.”

“You don’t want to be in the presence of Master vampires. Especially three at once. God forbid you were ever to meet Vittorio. Are you insane? We went over this. Avoid the Masters, including Lucio. Work through the consiglieri. At least that is a level playing field,” Nzinga warned.

The pain worsened in Sonya’s head, and she cried. Nzinga and Charmaine looked distraught, but were helpless to stop her suffering.

“You’re The Defender of Pain. To protect Darlene, you have to be accepted by the darkness in the coven. Shakespeare and Domenico are threats to Darlene—they are also who she will turn to.”

“Why?” asked Charmaine.

“Domencio looks just like Lucio. That’s our guess. She may be tempted. It’s in Greenlee’s lyrical teachings…”

“Greenlee is full of shit. She nearly killed us. The Guardians will guide Sonya, not her,” Charmaine said, and she was one to never curse.

Nzinga bowed her head.

“I know Lamont’s cousin,” Charmaine added as she rubbed Sonya’s back, who was now groaning in her hands. “We went to high school together. I’ve danced at some of his parties but never spoke to him. I guess I’ll find a way to convince him.”

“Sonya, Sonya, look at me,” pleaded Nzinga. “Stop fighting her. Find a way to be less defiant with Kaida. End your suffering.”

Sonya did her best to let down her guard. The pain eased. She looked up at Nzinga and Charmaine and wiped her tears. “I’ll do whatever she wants. No matter what.”

The pain was gone.

Bellagio - Las Vegas

Charmaine stood outside the Bellagio. The grandiose facade shimmered under the Vegas morning sun. It was still early and her nerves were raw. They had a plan, and she intended to stick to it. After a deep breath, she walked inside. Her heart thundered in her chest with each step. She strolled through the crowds of the casino and headed to the theater. Eyes, eyes, eyes were everywhere. A few men were bold enough to stop her and speak. Was she paranoid? Or was everyone on her? The panic in her pitch to where she stopped walking. She had to calm herself in a literal sense in order to go on.

Once she arrived at the theater door, she saw convention goers and people cosplaying their favorite video game heroes. She eased past two security guards with the credentials gifted to her by Nzinga’s contacts. She swept the theater with her gaze and zeroed in on the one she was told to look for:a beautiful black woman with a platinum blonde spiked pixie haircut.The stark contrast seemed to make the lady's skin glow with youth. Braver than she had ever been, Charmaine approached. The woman looked up from her conversation, and her smile faded.

“Hi, are you Carmen?” Charmaine asked.

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