Page 53 of Fratelli: Eternal Bloodlines

Her original plan was foiled, as the guardian had told her. She was to entice Shakespeare to bring her into the hotel. To seduce him from his hate and pain. To gain secret access to the sisters and her dear Charmaine and then escape. Now she was in for the battle for her life.

Sonya charged back at the vamps. She twirled and spun with the grace of a samurai and swept the baton low to knock, not cut, Shakespeare’s legs from under him. In the same second, she swung the baton high and then did a quick maneuver that decapitated Sophie.

Shakespeare screamed in shock. Sophie’s head flew off her shoulders, her body still throwing fists and claws, now blind and helpless. It dropped to its knees and fell over.

“No, Sophie! Nooooooo!” Shakespeare wailed; his pleas pierced the night. Paralyzed by the sight of his lover’s death, his eyes were wide with horror and disbelief. Before he could react, the roar of the engine pronounced the approach of a black-on-black hellcat as it swerved into the alley.

Sonya’s senses went on high alert. She could handle one consiglieri and an insane vampire like Sophie, but threeconsiglieri were too much, even for her. The car skidded to a halt, and Phoenix, the red-haired consiglieri, dashing in his appearance, emerged with a predatory grin. Raven, the dark-haired consiglieri, was out in a flash. Sonya made a split-second decision. She sprinted towards the wall, using her momentum to run up its surface. Her goal was the roof, her escape. The guardian had told her to allow capture, but she could not and would not bow to the consiglieri. Never.

Shakespeare shook off his shock and became charged. He went after her. He scaled the wall, driven by rage and grief. From below, Phoenix raised a specialized weapon, a glune, designed to subdue even the most formidable foes. One of Marcello’s designs that was used on the wolves during the national vampire hunt that Don Vittorio hosted for his children to prove their strength and mastery. It fired a magical net; the strands shimmered with enchanted energy.

Just as Sonya reached for the rooftop’s edge, the net ensnared her. She was dragged back down with brutal force. She crashed to the ground; the impact jarred every bone in her body. Sonya struggled against the net, her screams of defiance strong and proud. The net’s enchantment was too powerful; her movements were futile.

Phoenix did a slow walk to his prey. Raven walked a step behind him. Shakespeare got off his knees and joined them. The three spread out and circled the trapped vixen.

Shakespeare wiped his blood tears.

Phoenix looked at him and then over at the decapitated body of Sophie. “Be calm, brother.”

Shakespeare nodded. However, blood tears dripped down his cheeks. A dead, headless Sophie lay close to them.

Phoenix used his watch to release the Guardian. She dropped to her hands and knees in the center of the consiglieri circle.

Sonya took a deep breath. She was slow to move. Her mind raced with ancient knowledge of what the servants of Draca could and would do to her. Then her gaze lifted to the one she knew was the oldest. The Magistrate.

“My contacts at the airport told me the most unbelievable story. They sensed two Guardians deplane from New Orleans. I don’t respond to hysteria and gossip from lower supernatural’s, but these are strange times. And Don Vittorio is near death. So, against my customs, I ventured into daylight. If Guardians had arrived in Vegas, then that witch Greenlee was playing with magic again.”

Phoenix looked up at his consiglieri brothers. “I waited outside Circus Circus, in the morning sun, to witness the miracle firsthand.”

“You knew? You let her come into my club! You let her kill Sophie!” Shakespeare yelled.

“Marcello didn’t want the guardians touched.” Phoenix stared at Sonya with respect. “This, my brothers, is greater than a miracle. Say what you want about those First People fangirls. They have achieved the impossible. Bow before her.”

“What?” Raven frowned.

Phoenix glared at Raven, then at Shakespeare.

BOW!He yelled in their heads.

With superior strength, Phoenix forced the consiglieri to their knees. He then looked at Sonya with so much adoration and lust in his eyes she had to look away. Phoenix bowed before her and got down on one knee. Desire swirled in his green gaze. “There hasn’t been a Guardian as beautiful among us in three thousand years. Welcome to the Fratelli, Guardian.”

“I am not here for you!” Sonya spat blood from the cut in her mouth into Phoenix's face.

Phoenix shivered with delight. He smiled. He wiped the blood and tasted it. His eyes fluttered over the essence of her on his tongue. She looked away in disgust.

“I am aware of your mission. And you know you will not stop us from saving Don Vittorio. Now, we can engage here, fight to the death, three against a Guardian in my realm. Or you can come with us, face your destiny, and we vamp’s will roll the dice on the consequences.”

Sonya knew she would not survive a fight with the consiglieri alone. In order to protect the Chosen, she needed her sister. She realized Phoenix had studied the old teachings and possessed this knowledge as well. She glanced at the baton. It was her weapon of choice.

Phoenix smiled. “Sorry, love. You can’t have her.”

Sonya looked at Shakespeare. He heaved and wheezed with labored breathing and blood tears. She thought of another touch to his black heart. A mercy of healing for him for taking away his mate. The hatred she saw in his eyes halted her from the action.

Sonya turned her gaze to Raven. His dark gaze and lust-filled thoughts of draining every drop of blood from her lady parts after he fucked her into extinction overwhelmed Sonya.

There was no escape.

Her gaze returned to her captor. She gave him a respectful nod. “Bellagio?”

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