Carpathian 10 - Dark Symphony

In return, I won't tell you about jaguars and how close our family is to
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    9/13/2007

    Dark Symphony
    Page 181 of 188
    them." Franco gathered the stack of files into his arms. His gaze, filled with contempt, flickered to Demonesini. "You deserve whatever you get."
    The don made a dive for the gun. Byron closed his fist hard, staring at Demonesini's chest. The man went rigid, his face twisted with pain.
    Franco hesitated. "Keep going," Byron said softly, his gaze fixed on the don. "Walk away, Franco."
    Don Demonesini clutched his chest, falling to his knees. His color was mottled, his eyes bulging.
    Franco left the room, the manila folders safe in his arms.
    He didn't look back. Not even when he heard the sound of a body falling to the floor. He hurried through the villa, trying to look as casual as possible, but he was grateful he didn't run into anyone. His car was parked beneath the shade of several trees, a short distance from the circular drive and the wrought-iron gates. He hastily stuffed the folders into the trunk of his car and yanked open the driver's-side door, sliding behind the wheel.
    His heart slammed hard in his chest when Byron materialized beside him. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack? Don't do that!"
    Byron grinned at him. "I thought we should talk about the fact that you think I am a vampire. I know you said you would prefer not to, but I am going to marry your cousin, and it is best to clear the air."
    Franco sat for a moment and then leaned forward to turn the key. "You're saying you're not a vampire?"
    "No, I am not. I am something altogether different. If you wish to keep this knowledge, I would have to take your blood. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to remove your memories of this encounter."
    Franco drove through the streets with more speed than vision. "You can remove memories? Dio, Byron, does Toni know what you are?"
    "Of course." His tone lowered an octave. "You cannot betray us for any reason, Franco.
    If you did, I would know, and I would have no choice but to protect my people."
    Franco glanced at him, noted the hard lines etched into Byron's face. "You mean it, don't you? I understand loyalty, Byron." A small grin spread across his face. "Once you marry Toni, we'll be family. I don't think it'll be so easy to harm me."
    "It wouldn't be so easy now, Franco. Make your choice."
    "I like knowing you have certain abilities. They may come in handy sometime. I know Toni doesn't really want to run the family business. Sooner or later, Nonno is going to have to turn it over to me. I think having you at a board meeting would be very helpful."
    "Helena had an affair with Tasha and Paul's father. Este-ben was her son, not her nephew. Helena thought she deserved the Scarletti fortune. I believe she was responsible for the deaths of Antonietta's parents and even Tasha and Paul's parents. Esteben probably killed Enrico. Helena and Esteben arranged accidents for Don Giovanni and fed poison to members of your family. They were both able to shift into the form of a jaguar. They were the ones killing the locals. They probably could not control the urges of the beast when they were in the form of the cat."
    "You are telling me something."
    "Do not shift into the form of a jaguar and expect to stay in control. It is dangerous."
    "How did you know?"
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    Dark Symphony
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    "You accepted my differences far too easily."
    "I would never have suspected Helena. She seemed so much a part of our household.
    What a waste Had she just gone to Don Giovanni and told him about Esteben, they would have been welcomed into the family." He parked the car in the large garage. "Marita doesn't believe Margurite is my child."
    "What do you believe?"
    "She is a Scarletti through and through. And I love her. She's my daughter, and she'll always be my daughter, no matter what a paternity test says."
    "She is a Scarletti." Byron smiled. "There is no mistaking the scent and thought patterns of your family."
    Franco leaned back in his seat and smiled. "Grazie, Byron. Do whatever you think necessary to protect your people.