2. The Strange Normal
Chapter 2
The Strange Normal
T he Canyon - Arizona
April 17, 2018
(4 Days Before Death)
“Mmm, no more Lucio, I need to rest,” she groaned and pushed his hand from her sex. Dolly smiled when he returned it.
“Open your eyes,” he said. He kissed her shoulder.
“No, I’m tired,” she moaned. That was only a half-truth. Since Charmaine visited her dreams, Darlene had now returned in a metaphysical form to stay. Whenever she opened her eyes, she saw her standing in either corner watching them. She wept, she glared, she screamed at Dolly, but no sound could be heard. For Dolly, ignoring Darlene was her best defense. She pretended to not be affected, but deep inside, since Lucio continued to confess his love for Darlene, she was terrified. What would Lucio say if he knew Darlene was with them? She decided not to explore that truth with him.
“Open your eyes,” Lucio pleaded.
Dolly opened her eyes and looked down at the tray of sliced fruits, meats, and a goblet of water. He’d also poured another glass of champagne with berries at the bottom. Throughout the night and in between the sex, Lucio slipped from bed and arranged something sweet for her. He was so giving. He even had gifts in the tent for her that she still hadn’t opened. What did she care about jewelry and purses? The world was different to her now.
As an offer of a reward for him, she flicked her tongue at him and pointed to his dick, then made a sucking gesture with her hand cupped like it was stroking a dick to her mouth.
Lucio laughed. Dolly giggled. She ignored Darlene, who was now seated on a stack of pillows in the center of the tent staring at them.
“I want more,” he said and squeezed her breast.
“I’m human. Remember, I can only have so much sex with you and the Draca before my body quits, so stop.” She pushed his hand off her breast and fed her voracious appetite. Lucio watched with that horny stare of his that often made her give in. With a gentle touch, he moved aside her hair. Her hair was disheveled across her head and shoulders. He did his best to smooth out the tangles from her face to her back. He kissed her shoulder.
“Can I get pregnant? Have a vampire and goddess baby?” Dolly grinned mischievously. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Lucio chuckled. He shook his head no. “I don’t think that’s how it works.”
“Oh, really?” she teased, and leaned in closer. “So, you can turn into smoke, fuck me like a raging bull, read my mind, fly, and dive off cliffs with me… drink blood and heal yourself into being almost human—but you can’t knock me up? Didn’t your father create you?”
Lucio’s smile faltered; his brows drew together with alarm. “He did. With the help of hoodoo.”
“And I’m made from the bone and marrow of hoodoo,” Dolly said, her grin widening as she winked at him. “Who’s to say I can’t make you a daddy someday?”
Lucio looked away. His jaw tightened as the flame of hope she’d ignited quickly dimmed. The idea was too fragile, too impossible. Even if it were true, even if she could give him that kind of family, he wasn’t sure he deserved it.
“Hey,” Dolly said with softness. She reached out to rub his arm. “I’m just playing. I’m on the pill, silly!” She flashed him a cheeky smile, tried to lighten the mood.
Lucio’s laughter returned, warm and genuine this time, and the tension between them melted. Their laughter mingled. It filled the inside of the tent with a rare sense of joy.
But his mood shifted again, more serious now. “We have to leave soon,” he said, his voice low.
“Why? We should stay,” Dolly countered. She tilted her head. “We’ve got everything we need. Though I’ll admit, I’m going to need more than fruit and deli meat. You make me so hungry!” She giggled, then added with a smirk, “Maybe I am pregnant.”
Lucio shook his head, laughing with her, the sound echoing softly in the confines of the tent.
Darlene, who had been silently stewing in the corner, suddenly stood and stormed out of the tent. Her movements were sharp, like she couldn’t contain her anger any longer.
Dolly’s laughter faded as she glanced after her, a frown creasing her brow. It was almost as if Darlene had a physical presence, as if she truly could walk away.
“I have to tell you something,” Lucio said.
Dolly's gaze left the opening of the tent to land on Lucio. “Tell me what?”
“My brothers. They know about you and Darlene. They know everything,” Lucio confessed.
Dolly stopped chewing. The tent flap re-opened. Lucio glanced up at what he thought was the wind. Darlene had returned, but only Dolly saw her. She smirked and stared directly at Dolly. Did she hear Lucio from outside of the tent? Of course, she did. Darlene was only a manifestation. She was in her and she was observing. Dolly ignored her sister and touched Lucio’s hand. “I know. I saw Darlene’s conversation with your twin. I felt her excitement and her fear. She was afraid. So many supernatural’s, and your brother all coming at her at once. I felt that intensity.”
“Yes, well, that wasn’t just her lesson. I orchestrated that meet and greet to reveal you to my world. Now that my brothers know, they’ve given me a week to figure out what and who you are—and how that could benefit the brotherhood,” he confessed.
Dolly looked up to Darlene, who now paced back and forth in the tent. Darlene kept glancing back at Lucio with growing concern.
“Do you really believe I’m a destroyer?” Dolly asked.
“After what we shared in the night no, no one can convince me you are,” he said.
“Strange,” Dolly mumbled.
“Why is that strange?”
“Because in under a week, I’ve gained perfect vision, a sister or split personality, or some kind of possession…”
Darlene shot Dolly a middle finger.Dolly rolled her eyes at her and pretended again that it was only her and Lucio.
“Now I have a boyfriend who drinks my blood. There is so much that happened in five days. How could we possibly know where it will all end? I’ll probably grow wings and fly around the tent next,” Dolly sighed.
“Never knew you were this funny,” Lucio smiled.
“You learn something every day about me, don’t you?” Dolly teased.
“I do,” he agreed. He paused for a moment before he spoke again. “I don’t believe you are here to destroy. I agree. We need to understand your powers. I must stop Julia Brown’s curse. That is my mission. From there… we figure out how to survive in this new world,” Lucio explained.
“New world?” The statement puzzled Dolly. “I like how it sounds.”
“That’s what Manman Julia called it. Whenever we wanted to leave the swamp or wandered away too far. Beware of the new world , she would say.”
“Was she afraid of the world?” Dolly asked and drank her champagne with berries.
Lucio blinked as if just remembering something from his childhood. “I was young, a babe. But I… I think she was afraid. She rarely left the cabin, and when she did go hunting or trapping, she always carried a weapon. She had her fears.”
“Interesting. Is it still there? The cabin, the swamp?” Dolly asked.
“Ah… after the hurricanes and modernization, I doubt it exists,” he shrugged.
“Why did you never check, go back?” Dolly asked him.
“I—I—I, dunno,” Lucio said. “I never thought to.”
Dolly stared at him. “Lucio? It’s where everything started. You keep talking about curses and prophecies, why not go to the place of the origin of your existence?”
“You’re right. Why have I never gone back? Why have I never thought to go find any answers there? I live in New Orleans and never… not once…” his voice trailed off. “Phoenix.”
“Who?” chirped Dolly.
“He is a member of our coven, the oldest member. Any time we have questions he points us to the Vatican to Sicily and Italy for answers. He’s kind of taught us how to think,” said Lucio. “He told us Manchac and the swamp cabin had no importance.”
“But why him?” Dolly asked. “How would he know?”
“Long story. He’s older than all of us, never mind. He doesn’t matter, I’m the one in charge and I must consider all things,” Lucio said. “Our lives depend on it.”
“Lucio,” she turned his face by the grip of his chin. He looked into her eyes. “It’s okay. Maybe there is no reason to go back to the old world. Maybe we just focus on the new one?”
“Maybe,” he replied.
“Darlene said she was born to destroy vampires.” Dolly shot a look at Darlene, whose eyes stretched at the mention of her name. “She said she only chose you to help her, said she loved you, and that you two could rule the world with you as her slave.”
“Slave?” Lucio frowned. “Oh yes, I’ve heard Darlene speak of me in servitude.”
Darlene shook her head no. Dolly realized the reason she couldn’t speak. They were too close to Lucio. He was protecting her from Darlene. It only made her love him more.
“Darlene was erratic. Her reasons for her love were contradictory, but she believed vampires were a threat to her and me. She wanted to get to them before they got to us,” Dolly stroked his jaw.
Lucio bit his bottom lip with his fangs and dropped onto the pillow. “Yes. I knew that Darlene didn’t trust me or vampires. I guess I could have worked harder to make her see through the darkness.”
Darlene gave Dolly a sly smile.
“She wasn’t all bad, Dolly. She was mostly confused. I didn’t help with that,” Lucio confessed.
“Don’t make excuses for her,” Dolly mumbled.
Lucio closed his eyes. “I’m not doing that.”
Darlene’s smile widened as she watched the emotion play across Lucio’s face. Her satisfaction was mean, but Dolly wasn’t about to let her sister take control of the moment.
Dolly pushed the tray of food aside and set the champagne flute down with deliberate grace. Turning to face Lucio fully, she let her bare breasts come into full view, knowing exactly what kind of distraction they provided. It worked instantly. Within seconds, Lucio leaned forward, burying his face between them as if it were the only place he belonged.
Dolly stroked the top of his head, her fingers threading gently through his dark hair. Her lips curled into a sly smile, one she sent straight to Darlene, who had to look away. Victory.
“Let’s change the subject,” Dolly purred, her voice dripped with honey. She tilted Lucio’s face up to hers and brushed a kiss against his lips. “It’s you and me now. That’s all that matters, baby. But tell me—” her voice dropped into a whisper—“is there something more about this ‘new world’ I don’t know? Something you’re keeping from me?”
“Yes. Plenty,” he admitted.
“Then tell me,” she urged softly, her breath grazed his lips.
Lucio exhaled deep. His hands slid around her waist. “Marcello has sent a team to meet with you. They need a sample of your blood to run some tests. They think it might help explain what’s happening to you—why it’s happening.”
“Tests?” Dolly’s tone sharpened. “Or experiments?”
“No. I won’t let them experiment on you,” Lucio said quickly, his grip tightening as if to reassure her. “It’s just a few tests—paranormal ones. To assess your powers and gauge their limits.”
Behind them, Darlene turned sharply, her expression one of alarm. She shook her head violently, and waved her arms her hands slicing through the air in silent warning. Don’t do it.
Dolly ignored her. She would never take Darlene’s advice over Lucio’s.
“How can you prevent them from experimenting?” Dolly pressed. “And if these ‘tests’ don’t give them the answers they want, then what? What do they really want from me, Lucio? Or do you even know?”
Lucio’s jaw tightened. He leaned back. Met her gaze with an intensity that made the room feel smaller. “Do you trust me?”
Darlene threw her hands up in exasperation. She paced the room like a caged animal. Her agitation was so strong that for the first time, Dolly hesitated. A small voice inside her wondered if Darlene’s warning wasn’t entirely unfounded.
“Dolly?” Lucio’s voice softened. He pulled her focus back to him. “Is something wrong?” He glanced toward the spot where Dolly’s eyes kept darting—the space where Darlene paced.
“No, I’m fine,” Dolly lied, forcing herself to look away. “I’m just... trying to trust you, Lucio. I must be smart. It’s not just my life on the line—I have Russell to protect too.”
Darlene stilled. Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and she nodded, as though she approved of Dolly’s reasoning.
Lucio gave a small smile. “I agree. That’s why I’ve been working on something—a plan. A solid one. Tristan and I started it long before you came into the picture. Maybe... maybe a part of me knew you would show up someday.”
“Reno?” Dolly asked, her brows lifting.
Lucio stiffened, his lips pressing into a thin line. “Never mind that,” he muttered. “Just know that I won’t let them take you from me. But if they try, there is a place they can’t reach you.”
Dolly tilted her head, her tone turning sharp. “I know your plan, Lucio. Find a descendant of Julia Brown, drain her. If she survives, she’s ‘the one.’ Feed her to your father, heal him, and continue this cycle of misery. It’s the only plan you and your brothers have ever known.”
“Funny,” Lucio said flatly, his lips twitching. “You’re full of jokes tonight.”
“It’s not a joke,” Dolly said coolly. “I’m not a fool.”
“You’re not listening to me,” he sighed.
“I am listening,” she shot back. “I’m always listening. But are you ? You are one of four, Lucio—not the one. Your father, no matter what you say, is a powerful entity. And according to Darlene, he’s wiped the world clean of my kind before. There’s no defeating him by trying to save him.”
Her voice softened, and she placed a hand on his cheek. “Do you hear me? Saving him will destroy you.”
Lucio looked up at her, his crimson eyes searched hers. He could see the distrust creep back into her gaze, a shadow he couldn’t afford to let grow. Desperation clawed at his existence.
“I can’t,” he said with finality, his voice low. “No. I won’t make the mistakes of the past. None of my brothers really believed we’d find ‘the one.’ Not even me. That’s why I’ve been preparing for Reno. You’re like a falling star, Dolly—rare and fleeting. I don’t think anyone knows you’re here. In the past...” His voice faltered. “We’ve done terrible things. I won’t deny it. We’ve found many daughters of Julia Brown. None of them survived. None of them escaped.”
“Except who?” Dolly asked, her voice barely audible.
Lucio sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. “A year ago, the professor Darlene met with unlocked something on his lyrical board. He came to see me. He told me of the prophecy and what could happen if Julia Brown’s curse takes my father. He told me the part of the prophecy my father kept hidden.”
“What is the prophecy?” Dolly demanded.
Lucio hesitated, but the words spilled out before he could stop them. “If my father dies... I become the darkness.”
Dolly’s breath caught, her eyes widened. “What does that mean, Lucio? That you’ll become... what? His replacement?”
“It’s complicated,” Lucio muttered, looking away.
“Don’t you dare,” Dolly snapped, grabbing his face and forcing him to look at her. “Explain it to me. All of it. No secrets. Secrets can kill everything between us.”
Lucio closed his eyes, struggling to form the words. But deep down, he knew the truth would eventually find its way to her—one way or another.