Page 90 of Fratelli: Eternal Bloodlines

Tristan drove through the night in silence, his gloved hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. Sonya could sense his thoughts, the connection between the vampire and Charmaine’s soul which was now Liora was so strong that words were no longer necessary. His mind broadcasted his creation, suffering, conviction, and his unwavering devotion to Lucio.

“Find what you are looking for?” Tristan said aloud and broke through the silence in the car.

“It’s you who chose to share your pathetic story with me, vampire,” Sonya replied.

“I am not the threat you think I am. If I were, you would not be headed to your sister and your savior right now,” said Tristan.

“Prove it,” Sonya said.

“Lucio isn’t dead. Tell your sister, make sure the twins know. He’s not dead,” Tristan said.

“How do you know?” Sonya clenched her fists, then released them, feeling the lingering ache from Phoenix’s magical cuffs that were locked on her wrists for far too long.

Tristan’s eyes switched to the rearview mirror. Sonya turned in her seat. Her keen eyesight could see through the distance in the dark. Someone on a black motorcycle in a black helmet, with no lights, was on their tail. They had a pursuer. “Who?”

Tristan smirked, a hint of amusement gleamed in his eyes, when he looked over at Sonya.

“Why are you letting him follow us?” Sonya demanded.

“There is no ‘us,’ remember?” Tristan replied. “I am a vampire. He is my brother. Whatever waits for the Fratelli in the desert, he and I will face it together.”

“Bullshit!” Sonya snapped. She slumped back into her seat. She turned her hand over, conjuring a dark flame that danced above her palm. “I’ve been patient and tolerant with the consiglieri. The closer I get to my sister, the stronger my powers are. Neither of you can go against me and I…”

“I know what you are, Guardian, and I know what you can do. That’s why I’m letting him follow us. That and for another reason,” said Tristan.

“What reason?” she asked.

“The proof you seek. Information that is needed for Lucio to defend himself against the coven. Soon, Phoenix will learn that I betrayed his orders and freed you. He will come for us in this desert. I will defend Liora with my life. She is mine now and that cannot be changed by you or her. Maybe Shakespeare will put his Draca on the line for you,” Tristan slipped her a sly look.

Sonya narrowed her eyes at him.

Tristan continued: “What Liora has done to me, for me, has changed me. You could make the same choice and add more power to your defenses.”

“Are you saying I mate with one of you? Never?” Sonya gagged.

“Never say never,” Tristan shrugged. “If Phoenix and the Raven, with the Di Salvo brothers join us in the desert, we are all dead.”

“Finally, the truth.” Sonya said.

“You want more truth?” Tristan asked.

“A vampire priest giving me his confession? Sure.” She watched the dark flame cast a deep purplish glow inside the Bugatti that now had the convertible top up.

“Liora chose me,” he declared.

Sonya’s gaze returned to him.

“You and I both know it. She invited me in when we fought. I could never have gotten that close if she didn’t want me too. And after my first taste, I gained even more light. You know what connects us.”

“I know what divides us,” Sonya retorted.

“And I know what you need…” Tristan glanced over at her. “Maybe you can tell Shakespeare those desires since you went to that club in search of him and killed his mate.”

Sonya closed her hand around the dark flame, extinguishing it. “You think this is a game? You think you’re funny. You study our history, but you’ve learned nothing. You aren’t a master vampire. You’re just a footstool. When I join with Liora, when we stand before Dolly and Darlene, this thing that you think binds us to you, consiglieri, will be the one thing that brings you the true death.”

“That’s not what Phoenix told me about him and your sister Aries,” Tristan said.

Sonya hit him hard with an electric punch, it nearly caused his jaw to detach. The car was on the verge of swerving off the road because of the force she wielded. Tristan recovered, his face a mask of calm despite the blood trickling from his lip.

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