Page 84 of Fratelli: Eternal Bloodlines

“It is true. I loved Aries. But I am of darkness and love did not serve my duty to the Draca.” He gave her a smirk.

The cuffs tightened on Sonya’s wrists, and with just a look from Phoenix, more of her power was drained through the strange magical restraints. Sonya was brought to her knees, unable to defend the dark energy in her or speak for Aries, lost to her for over thousands of years. Only the Phoenix had risen to the top of the ranking from the ashes of his dastardly deeds and reigned supreme as consiglieri over them all.

He then lowered his gaze to Tristan, and his voice was straight from the Draca. “You are nothing but a servant, dust beneath my feet. I have tried with you, priest, to teach and discipline, but if you ever raise a thought, let alone a fang of defiance to me again, I will shred you.”

Tristan stopped fighting and glared up at him.

“I gave you a command. You will obey. Lucio’s condemnation is from the Fratelli. You can save no one. Not even yourself.Capisci?” asked Phoenix.

Raven stared at them from his position on the floor. He barely sat up from the blow Phoenix delivered. He watched in terror. None of them ever defied Phoenix’s orders.

Tristan blinked his compliance.

“Take her. Watch her. Wait for my orders. That is what you will do,” Phoenix commanded.

Tristan nodded; his expression unreadable. Phoenix stood. He offered a hand to Tristan and helped him stand. Raven stood as well. He saw that Phoenix was reasonable enough not to object.

“What about her restraints? Is there something I need to know?” Tristan asked, remembering how Charmaine in his arms enslaved him. He would never want to feel that with any other guardian but his sweet Liora. The bruising around his neck healed.

“Here,” Phoenix gave him a tiny wand of a key. “Possessing it will keep her in line. Return her to our people in the vaults. They will use the wand to release her if they decide or put her on ice.”

As Phoenix and Raven disappeared back up the stairs, he turned to Sonya. “We have little time. Follow me.”

Sonya’s eyes widened, and a mix of hope and suspicion flashed across her face. “Why are you helping me?”

He glanced back at the cameras mounted in the hall's corner.

“I… Liora er, Charmaine and I… Because Dolly is in danger,” Tristan replied, his voice urgent. “I know where they are, and I have to get you there.”

Tristan looked around once more and punched the button to summon the elevator. “Can you cut the electricity the way Liora did above?”

“Liora didn’t do that. It had to be Dolly. Her power with Charmaine isn’t that developed,” Sonya said.

“Are you sure? Because you’ll need to try,” he replied. “If we don’t get to them, they are dead. I think the First People have them.”

“First People? You mean Greenlee’s cult?” she asked.

“Yes,” said Tristan.

The doors to the elevator opened, and they both entered. He pressed the button to go down to the lower floors and into the vaults. Quickly, he released her cuffs. Sonya closed her eyes.Nothing. She touched Tristan, stunning him with her touch. She was equally stunned by the truth she sensed—he had mated with her sister. Enraged, her psychic powers surged. And she unleashed it with a purpose. Plasma blasted them both in the elevator, causing the electricity to go out. She looked up from her position on the floor and over at him. Tristan seemed equally confused.

“You mated with Liora! You disarmed Charmaine and mated her to you with your bite!” Kaida said breathlessly. “Why!”

“We don’t have time!” she shouted.

“I’ll fucking kill you!” Sonya hissed and charged him. When they touched again, she absorbed more of the truth, and it was too much emotionally for them to handle. The entire elevator shook as if it would snap from the cables.

“STOP! You must let me go!” Tristan threw her off him with what strength he had left in him.

“Kill me when we get outside.” Tristan shot up and blasted a hole through the top of the elevator ceiling. He reached down for her. Sonya had no choice but to take his hand, and she learned all his history in doing so. His suffering and Liora’s choice of him made sense. She understood the danger her sister was in now, even better than Tristan.

“What now?” she asked, breathless from all the pain she carried.

“We’ve got to go up, and we have to go fast,” he said. “You can’t touch me again. I can’t take it,” Tristan mumbled.

She agreed in disgust. “Me either. I’ll go first.”

Sonya scaled up the cables with Tristan following. They reached several floors above, and then he called to her.

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