Fratelli: Eternal Bloodlines (The Vampire Cartel #2)

6. The Inner Child

Chapter 6

The Inner Child

B ellagio Casino, Las Vegas - Nevada

April 17, 2018

(4 Days Before Death)

The helicopter blades sliced through the crisp morning air as Lucio and Dolly ran toward it. He held the door open, and she struggled to hold down her hair. He caught her when she stumbled, lifted her into his arms, and placed her inside. Lucio shook his head, with a big grin over how her long hair wrapped around her face and neck.

“It’s not funny, Lucio! It keeps growing. I feel like Rapunzel. I need to get to a hairstylist,” she said.

He swallowed his smile, put her headphones on, and strapped her in as ascended from the canyon, leaving behind the opulent Arabian Nights tent. They traveled through the sky hand in hand. Dolly had accepted her love for Lucio and the reality of his nature versus her own. Lucio, in turn, was captivated by the connection they forged—now a true believer in his feelings and the real definition of love. He’d learned so much in such a short time with his lover. He didn’t fear her growing powers, though deep inside, he knew he should. After all, there were so many things at stake. For now, he had hope.

When they landed on the rooftop of the Bellagio, Lucio helped her out of the helicopter. Their hands entwined, they made their way to the elevator. As they did so, Darlene tagged along. The moment they reached the roof, Dolly saw her wave her hands in the air from the helipad. Confused, Dolly only stared while Lucio chatted about the plan for the day. She had pushed Darlene away, blasted her into the darkness. She had intended to leave her there. So why did she keep returning?

The elevator ride was silent. Lucio seemed to lose his enthusiasm as they got closer to reality. Darlene stood at the elevator door and waited for it to open. Dolly felt as if she were out of her body. She saw another version of herself. It was a strange, surreal kind of emotion.

When the doors opened, Darlene hurried out. What compelled her to move faster than Lucio left Dolly concerned. Of course, Dolly didn’t verbalize how she and Darlene occupied their reality together. She did everything to keep the truth from being discovered. What would these people who intended to examine her do if they discovered the state of things? What then?

“Hey, you okay?” Lucio asked.

“Huh?” Dolly replied. When they turned the corner, it was Darlene who saw him first and then Dolly. For Dolly it was the biggest shock. She’d never even considered what Domencio, who looked just like her lover, would be in person. Lucio’s gaze switched from her to where she stared. The atmosphere shifted. A familiar and unwelcome presence awaited. Domencio, his twin brother, paced before their suite door, his expression a volatile mix of anger and predatory rage.

Dolly noticed Darlene standing next to Domencio. She stared up at him with keen interest. When she felt Dolly’s unease, Darlene cast her gaze over to Dolly. She made the heart symbol with her fingers and made kissy faces at Domencio. Of course, Lucio's brother remained unaware, but Darlene’s instant attraction sent an icy wave of fear through Dolly. Domencio was the exact copy of Lucio, but more brooding in temperament. Equally, if not a bit different in their shared handsomeness. It was his swagger. His gaze didn’t confront Lucio or Dolly. Instead, his gaze drifted to his left. He fixated on where Darlene stood, as if he could see her. And Darlene stepped closer, hoping to be seen by him. Oh, no! Domencio sensed Darlene? How?

“Darlene stop!” Dolly snapped.

Darlene looked at Dolly with excited glee.

Domencio’s gaze swiveled to Dolly, and whatever he sensed of Darlene must have passed because his eyes narrowed on her alone. He glared at them both with the most sinister of smiles. Darlene walked around Domencio. She looked him up and down as if appraising a new possession. She tried to touch him, but her metaphysical state would not allow it.

Lucio instinctively threw up a shield to protect Dolly, and Dolly knew this to be true because, in an instant, his power blasted Darlene backward and away from Domencio. It forced her to join them. Darlene mewled in complaint, angry at being trapped at Lucio’s side, and restrained by her sister from speaking. Dolly had no choice but to free her from that constraint.

“Please, Darlene, stop wit the games,” Dolly pleaded.

No! Why should I behave? Darlene tossed a look back at Domencio. Give him to me, Dolly. You can have Lucio, and I can have Domencio. I’ll tame him. Make him my pet.

“Stop it,” Dolly grunted at Darlene, who glared, ready to retaliate. Dolly sensed the danger mounting. Her gaze darted between Lucio and his brother before she matched Domencio’s unwavering stare. Domencio’s eyes held an intense malevolence far different from Lucio’s. He seemed stronger, considering the threat the brothers were sending each other. Lucio had to be weakened, and at risk. He had drunk his fill of her . His shield of protection between them had to be all he could summon. Dolly saw evidence of this as Darlene pushed back at the boundaries.

Dolly closed her eyes and pulled Darlene back inside of her. She didn’t know she even could do so until the moment of desperation overwhelmed her.

“I’ll make a deal with you,” Dolly pleaded once she had a hold of Darlene.

No deals, Darlene replied. Let me go.

“Together. We breach Lucio’s defense and learn more about Domencio. Stop him from attacking Lucio. We do this, you behave, and I will give you more control. You stop trying to get his brother’s attention, and we can negotiate anything you want. I’m ready to listen.”

Okay, sure, Darlene snickered.

“Don’t try me, Darlene. You can’t trick me!” Dolly warned.

Yes, I can! Darlene taunted. Did it before!

“Mess with me, Darlene, and I will lock you inside of me. You know I’m able. You’ve seen me do it. We go together and put Domencio down. We come out when I want out. This is the only time I will trust you. Screw this up, and we’re done. Do you understand?” Dolly asked.

I want him, Darlene pouted. You have Lucio. The other one is mine. I can tell. Just let me try him out and see .

“No. Lucio is in trouble. If Domencio strikes at him, he won’t be able to defend himself,” Dolly shouted inside of her head.

Well, who fault is that, whore! Darlene taunted.

Dolly sighed. “He’s drunk off my blood, and he’s weakening. Can’t you feel it?”

Why should I care? Darlene asked. Look at how he treated me. Cast me out like garbage!

“He loves you, Darlene. You heard him say it. He’s in love with you, too,” she pleaded. “Do you want to go back to the darkness?”

Darlene gave a low snarl at her. Dolly waited. All of it passing by so fast that time had not moved forward since the cosmic exchange between them. Fine. We protect Lucio. But I want access to Lucio too. It’s my turn. He should be washing my feet!

“Are you insane? He’s my boyfriend. You will not have sex with him. Never again!”Dolly said.

Then no deal. Domencio will eat him and then I will let Domencio eat you, Darlene spat.

“You are insane.” Dolly sighed. “We aren’t children anymore. We’ve changed. I accept you exist. I accept a lot of things now.”

Do you really? Darlene mocked her voice.

“Lucio is the best of them. He is the only one we can trust to defend us. He is the key for you to get to supreme vampire and kill it. Vittorio. Remember?” Dolly asked.

Darlene remained silent.

“He cares about you, Darlene,” Dolly repeated.

He loves me! You just said it, Darlene said. And when I fuck his brother, he will go insane with jealousy. He’ll beg me to take him back. You hear me? And then you’ll see. He loves me!

Dolly cringed inside.

“Is that what this is? You want to taunt Lucio with Domencio? Hurt him that way?” Dolly asked.

Why not? He taunts me with you, Darlene said. Made me watch him fuck you. He should watch me let Domencio fuck me in the ass.

“You’re nuts,” Dolly mumbled.

Your mama is nuts, Darlene tossed back.

“Oh God, please Darlene. If you don’t help me, I’m not sure I can protect Lucio. He gets jealous and irrational when he drinks too much of our blood. You know this. If you love him, let’s get rid of Domencio. Together. We have to damnit,” Dolly begged.

Darlene fell silent for a moment, before she made her counteroffer. Stop whining. You just won’t shut up. Lucio loves the weak and pathetic you, but if you want to be my sister you will have to toughen up! I can’t take you seriously! Darlene fell silent again. Dolly held her tongue. I want to see what’s inside of Domencio. You stand down. He’s… different. Like me. I’ll handle it.

“Do we have a deal? No tricks. Or it’s war,” Dolly said.

Deal, Darlene mumbled. But I’ll kick your ass in war. Just so you know.

The entire conversation was in the metaphysical realm of Dolly’s mind. It happened within milliseconds. Time stood still between the brothers on the brink of an actual war until the sisters united. Neither recognized what they had done, or even how they had done it. But their actions would change everything for them, going forward.

“Take my hand,” Dolly said.

“No idiot. I don’t have hands,” Darlene snipped.

“Yes, you do. Reach for me, in my mind, become you. I’m letting you free. See what they means without taking over. See if Lucio is right and we can be one,” Dolly said.

Darlene did what Dolly requested and in a strange way they were bonded. Neither had more control over the other. They were one. Hand in hand. Side by side.

Dolly closed her eyes. Darlene closed her eyes.

The girls knew Lucio wouldn’t like what they did next, but each felt compelled to act for their own self preservation. Dolly did her best to be discreet as Lucio approached Domencio and Domencio approached Lucio. Dolly telepathically reached past Lucio’s shield, hand in hand with Darlene. Together, they gently stepped out of Dolly’s physical form and into Domencio’s. They reached Domencio’s cold black heart first. Darlene was right; there was nothing but pure darkness and hate smoldering there. All they absorbed in return was the emptiness. The girls looked at each other, confused. Lucio was nowhere near as malevolent as Domencio. It had to mean that the balance between them had been severed.

And then they heard it. The growl and low snarl came for them. The dark smoke cleared. The dragon was taller than the Empire State building, its tail as long as eighteen buses lined up. It swirled and slapped at the darkness with iridescent blood-red scales and an arrowed tip. And its ruby-red eyes, like the tips of Domencio’s fangs, were a deadly addition to its strange beauty.

“Look,” Dolly said and pointed. The beast breathed fire through its nostrils above the girl’s head. They ducked to avoid the flames. At its clawed feet was a young boy. He cowered and held on to the scales of the Draca while he stared at them curiously.

“Who is that?” Darlene asked.

“I think that’s… him. Domencio?”

“Why is he a kid?” Darlene looked around. Where are we? In his mind?”

“In his soul,” Dolly said and shriveled. Or what used to be his soul. “It’s cold in here.”

“You big baby, it’s fine,” mumbled Darlene. “You feel the fire. It’s hot in here.”

“I’m cold,” mumbled Dolly.

Dolly closed her eyes and conserved her energy. She felt compelled to take on Domencio this way, but she didn’t know why. The ruth was before her. An inner child, trapped within him needed their help. What did that mean? How did the beast and child stop Domencio from attacking Lucio?

“The kid wants our help,” said Dolly.

“How do you know that?” Darlene asked.

“I told you I dunno. How do you know the things you know? You just do. Right?” Dolly asked.

“Right,” Darlene mumbled.

The Draca hadn’t made peace with Domencio; it had devoured him. What remained of the man was a frightened child, lost and alone. Dolly hesitated. She wanted to retreat but was drawn in deeper despite herself. She couldn’t resist the pull—so she pressed forward. With her light and vision, she reached through the shadows. There, in the depths of the darkness, was the boy, no older than six. He wore ragged overalls, his feet and hands caked with mud. His wide eyes silently begged for help, though he made no sound. His small body was marred with bite marks, some still raw and oozing. Bruises and scabs covered his skin, evidence of a torment that wouldn’t end. The creature was feeding on him.

“This is horrible,” Dolly whispered.

“That thing is torturing him!” Darlene said. “We need to kill it!”

The beast roared.

“We can’t just kill a Draca. Not like this,” Dolly yelled.

“And how the hell would you know?” Darlene shouted. She struggled to be heard over the beast’s deafening roar. They both clutched their ears, the sound nearly unbearable.

“I don’t know!” Dolly yelled back. “But I know this isn’t right. I’ve got a bad feeling about this!”

“I knew you didn’t have the guts to follow through! I’m a vampire hunter. You just stay here and cry while I deal with it. I’ll kill the damn thing and save the boy. Then Lucio and Domencio can be brothers again,” Darlene spat, fury burned in her eyes.

“Darlene, no! I don’t think that’s what’s happening here! We don’t understand what we’re seeing!” Dolly shouted.

The boy, his face etched in terror, reminded Dolly too much of Darlene at that age—cast aside, abandoned. Guilt tightened her chest. Before she could stop her, Darlene charged toward the Draca, flames ignited in her hands.

“What are you doing? Are you out of your mind? No! Fire won’t kill it, Darlene! Stop!” Dolly cried, panic surged through her.

“I’m going to save the kid. It’s my destiny,” Darlene said with fierce conviction. Her voice was cold, triumphant. “I have powers, remember? Better than yours!”

“You don’t understand what we’ve done! You don’t even know what this is or what it means!” Dolly shouted, her words drowned out as Darlene sprinted closer to the monster. The Draca reared back, an eerie grin spread across its maw, as though it relished her reckless display of power.

“I’m not afraid,” Darlene said, her voice suddenly childlike. In that moment, she transformed—shrinking back into the little girl Dolly had banished long ago. She lifted into the air, soaring through the smoke-laden atmosphere, and looked down at her hands and body with wonder. She’d received the greatest gift: the power to fly. She beamed with unrestrained joy.

“See? I’m the chosen one! I can save him! This is what I was born to do!” Darlene yelled.

“We shouldn’t be here. We shouldn’t be here. We need to leave!” Dolly closed her eyes and did her best to pull her sister back. “We need to leave. We need to leave…”

“Fuck you Draca,” Darlene said to the beast and sent a blast of fire into it. The Draca, with fangs scarier than anything a vampire could display, reared back, its jaws detaching, and fire boiling up from its throat, could be seen. The creature was ready to incinerate Darlene, and Dolly felt the danger mount. The boy cowered and covered his head.

“Darlene, please, no!” Dolly begged.

The Draca unleashed a torrent of boiling lava fire upon Darlene. At first, her sister managed to fend it off, creating a weak shield of resistance. But the searing flames proved too strong, breaking through her defenses and scorching everything in their path. The heat overwhelmed Darlene, consuming her as she struggled to hold back the inferno.

In the depths of the darkness, Domencio became aware—not in the flesh, but through the eyes of the child trapped beneath the Draca’s grasp. The boy stood and grew. He transformed into the man Domencio was. In an instant, he swept upward, and into the blaze to rescue Darlene as her body began to melt under the intense heat.

Dolly screamed; the agony of her sister's suffering ripped through her. She could feel Darlene’s flesh boil away as if it were her own. Domencio heard the cry and turned his gaze downward, his eyes locked onto Dolly’s. Without hesitation, he flew toward her, dodging the flames spewing from the Draca. Fear surged through Dolly, and she turned to run, her heart pounding in terror. Domencio cradled Darlene’s blistered, broken body in his arms, his movements swift as he narrowly escaped the Draca’s snapping jaws and thrashing claws.

As Dolly fled, she stole a glance over her shoulder. Her eyes met Domencio’s in that fleeting moment. It wasn’t just Domencio anymore—it was as if Lucio himself had come to their rescue, transformed into the hero they desperately needed.

The dragon pursued them. Domencio swept down into the darkness and swiftly picked up Dolly, saving her from the beast. Dolly squeezed her eyes shut and did her very best to retreat as Domencio flew them into the heart of his soul, his darkness.

The snapback was so sharp Lucio sensed it.

“What have you done?” Lucio yelled at Dolly. She collapsed into him with such force they both went down hard. He caught her. Lucio swept her up in his arms. He held her protectively to him. Domencio was knocked to the floor from the release. He lay flat to his back for a moment then opened his eyes and looked up, dazed and confused.

“What the fuck happened? What?” Domencio asked, winded, almost as concerned as Lucio.

All Lucio could think of was Dolly. Blood seeped out of her nostrils and mouth. He gathered her secure in his arms as he stood, her head dropped back, her hair fell in a dark wave to the floor. He saw blood in her ears as well. Lucio threw open the door to his suite with his mind, not his room key. He carried his unconscious lover inside, desperate to save her. He didn’t even notice that Domencio had struggled to get to his feet, hurt as well, but following. Lucio went into the bedroom and put her on the bed, crippled by fear and grief.

“What the hell is she?” Domencio asked, his voice coming out in deep pants. He held his side as he healed himself. “She fucking attacked me.”

“What did you do to her?” Lucio said and wept blood tears. “What did you do!”

Domencio took a stunned. He stepped back. “I-I-I-don’t know what you’re talking about?”

“Tell me now!” Lucio roared and charged at his brother with so much force they went through the wall and crashed into the bathroom.

“I’ll kill you!”