Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2012 17:54:22 -0700 (PDT)
From: Richard Garcia <invertedbeast@yahoo.com>
Subject: Darkness Dwindles chapter nine

Darkness Dwindles
Chapter Nine


After their meeting with Uncle Walter, Daniel dropped Joey off at home and
went over to Duessa's.  He stayed at her place that night and spent the
next morning helping officiate ranking exams at his dojang.  Mid-afternoon
he came home.  Joey was laying on the couch in the living room, watching a
rerun of Law & Order.  Daniel didn't say anything.  He settled down in the
loveseat next to the couch and together they watched the show.

A commercial break came and Joey glanced over at Daniel.  His brother was
staring intently at him.  Daniel broke their gaze and stood up.  He went
into the kitchen, pulled a beer out of the refrigerator and headed
downstairs.

Joey finished watching the show.  He turned off the TV and went down to the
studio.  Daniel was there.  He'd pulled the sheet off of his latest
painting and was staring at it.

Joey got his first good look at the new piece since before Daniel's
bear-wolf transformation.  It was a night scene.  A star-filled sky
silhouetted trees looming over a shadowy clearing.  Along the right edge of
the painting was a side view of Daniel's van.  The van's weathered paneling
glowed under the dim light like algae on an old rock.  The left side of the
painting showed the profile of a male figure.  The man was turned away from
the viewer, his head up and thrust-jawed.  Clutched in his lowered right
hand, hanging down against the man's leg, was a hatchet.  The edge of the
ax-blade gleamed like a crescent moon, reflecting back the light from the
full moon overhead.

"Shit," Daniel dropped his face into his hands.  He was shaking.

"Daniel," Joey came forward.  "Don't cry.  It's okay."

"No, bro," Daniel shook his head, "it isn't.  It's so fucked up.  I don't
know how long I can keep going like this."

Daniel looked up at Joey.  His face was drawn, desperate.  "I'm so fucking
confused.  I've always been a pussy man.  When I was younger I was never
even the tiniest bit interested in fooling around with my friends, the way
some kids are.  There were other boys who I knew wanted to try stuff with
me, but I didn't care.  I was into girls.  Shit, the only erection I've
ever seen is my own.  I am not into men!"

He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes.

"God, Joey, I'm so ashamed.  Suddenly I'm totally obsessed with you.  It
probably makes you sick to hear this, but my dick gets hard whenever I
think about you.  When I'm near you I find myself looking for excuses to
touch you.  Your skin is incredible.  It's such an even caramel color, like
café au lait.  And it's so smooth.  Smooth as a girl's, but the way the
muscle lies beneath it makes it feel almost slick.  It's like ... God, I
don't know.  It's not like anything else.

"And the way you smell, fuuuck.  It's kinda musky and kinda sweet and kinda
spicy.  When you sweat there's this tang to it."  Daniel took a deep
shuddering breath.  "And it's not just about sex.  The way the hair falls
in front of your face all the time, it makes my heart melt.  I want to wrap
myself around you and protect you from the whole fucking world.  I would
kill anyone who tried to hurt you.  I know I would.

"So I've fallen totally head over heels over someone, and it's a guy.  But
it's not just any guy, it's my brother.  It's my fucking baby brother.
That's not just weird, Joey, it's sick.  It's totally twisted.  I don't
care what doctor bloodsucker said -- it's fucking wrong!"

"Please don't cry, Daniel."  Joey reached out to awkwardly pat his arm.
"It's okay."

"Don't touch me!"  Daniel recoiled.  "Haven't you heard anything I've just
said?"  He looked up to glare at his brother.  His gaze slipped over Joey's
shoulder and his eyes widened.

"Duessa!  What are you doing here?"

Duessa stood at the base of the stairs, just outside the doorway to the
studio.

"Hi, Dan."  She smiled hesitantly.  "I made some meatloaf and I thought you
and your brother might like some.  It's on the kitchen counter."

"How did you get in?"

"You gave me a key, remember?  I rang the doorbell but no one answered, so
I let myself in."

"How long have you been standing there?"

"I just got here.  Sorry if I interrupted something.  You okay?"

Daniel wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.  "Yeah, I'm fine.  It's
nothing.  Bro, why don't you go try the meatloaf?  Duessa and I are gonna
have some time together."

Joey looked at Duessa.  "Why does your driver's license say Opal Estrella?"
he asked.

"What?" said Duessa.

"What!" said Daniel.

"It says Opal Estrella, but it's your picture."  Joey turned to his
brother.  "Don't we have a cousin who's named Opal?"

"How did you see my driver's license?" Duessa demanded.

"Opal Estrella," Daniel said slowly.  "That's Aunt Vivana's daughter."

"Who's Aunt Vivana?" asked Duessa.

Daniel was staring at Duessa. "I am a fucking idiot.  You said your parents
never married, and that you'd never met your dad."  His gunmetal gaze was
locked on her.  "And you said your mom lived in a group home.  I thought
you meant she was institutionalized, like Joey's mom.  Is she?  Or is she
in a different kind of group home -- like a convent?"

Duessa looked confused and alarmed.  "Dan, I don't know what you're talking
about.  Aren't you upset about your brother going through my things?"

Daniel shook his head.  "I knew Duessa wasn't your real name.  Duessa's a
witch from Spencer's Faerie Queene.  I Googled it.  `I that do seem not I,
Duessa am.'  Who the hell would name a daughter that?  And that myrrh you
wear -- I smelled the same thing in Momma Lolotta's house.  What's your
game, witch?"

"You went down to the Valley?"  The look of innocent confusion slipped from
Duessa's face.  She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway.  "Oh,
well, no point in pretending."  She smiled.  "Hi, cuz."

"So you really are one of Aunt Vivana's girls?  Shit, we're cousins.  We've
been having sex and you're my cousin!"

"Yeah, well, he's your brother.  It doesn't sound like you're the type to
let that sort of thing get in your way.  I don't care.  A three-way might
be fun."

"This is impossible," Daniel shook his head.  "It was a totally random
thing that I went to that bar that night.  How could you have known I would
be there?  We'd never even met!"

"Daniel," Duessa gave him an exaggerated pout.  "I am crushed.  We have too
met before.  Don't you remember?  I came with my mother once for a visit."

"No we -- oh, that's right.  It was like a year after Joey was born.  I
was ten or something.  But ... weren't you older than me?"

"That's Amber, you ninny.  I was the younger one."

"Right."  Daniel nodded slowly.  "Amber and Opal.  That's right.  Now I
remember.  How did you find me that night?"

"Come on, Dan, don't be a dimwit.  I'm a witch.  Darkness calls to
Darkness.  It took a little time and effort, but not that much."

Daniel took a few gliding steps toward Duessa.  It was his karate walk.
"Why?" he asked.  "Why'd you do it?"

She blinked.  "Can't a girl just want to spend time with her relatives?"

"Cut the crap.  What do you want?"

"Really, Dan.  I'm all alone in the big city.  I know that sounds kinda
corny, but it's true.  I remembered you from when I was a kid.  You were so
cute, a real golden boy.  I just wanted to see you again.  And then when we
met there was this instant connection.  Don't tell me you didn't feel it,
too.  There's no reason to be a prude about it.  We aren't blood relatives.
Even if we were, it wouldn't matter.  It's not a taboo in my family.  We
don't have babies with birth defects."

"Right.  If you can choose your baby's sex, you can choose for it to be
healthy."  He took another gliding step forward.  "But I don't believe you.
That isn't why you came looking for me.  Or if it is, it's not the only
reason.  What is it, Opal Estrella?  You may as well go ahead and say it,
`cause it's over between us.  We're through."

"Right."  Opal's expression shifted.  "Because you'd rather screw your
brother.  Mister Child of Light," she sneered, "so pure and perfect!  Or
should I call you the Big Bad Wolf?  Tell me, Dan, do you want to do it
doggy-style?  Think you can get your brother to take it up the ass, like
the good little bitch he is?"

"God," Daniel stared at her, "you sound like you hate me."

"I hate you both," Opal spat.  "All I ever heard about growing up was
Mercedes this and Mercedes that.  Mother talked about her like she was the
damn Virgin Mary.  And Momma Lolotta would just sigh and look sad whenever
anyone mentioned her."

She glared at Daniel, her eyes poisonous.  "When your father the math guy
died everybody got all quiet around the house -- as if they really gave a
shit that Mercedes' sperm donor had kicked the bucket.  Then Charolotta
died and Mercedes went cuckoo and Mother started moaning and crying like
the world was about to come to an end.  It just went on and on.  And when
Mercedes finally died it got even worse.  My own mother cared more about
what was happening here than what was going on at home.  She was off to the
nun-house two days after my eighteenth birthday.  Couldn't wait to get away
from us.

"So yeah, cousin Dan, I hate you.  What are you going to do about it?
Break my neck?  Rip out my throat?  Be careful: you'd have to face my death
curse if you do."

Daniel glided to a stop in front of her.  He held out his hand.  "Key."

"What?"

"Give me the key to my house.  Then leave."

Duessa pulled the key off her key chain and dropped it onto the floor.
"Good-bye, love birds.  Hope you two have fun together."  She spun on her
heel and stomped up the stairs.

Daniel followed her to the front door and locked it behind her.  Joey
trailed behind him.  He watched as Daniel went into the kitchen, picked up
the meatloaf, and dumped it into the trash.

He walked back to Joey.  Gently he reached out to brush the hair back from
his brother's face.  "Where did that come from, little bro?" he asked.
"How did you know to check her driver's license?"

Joey shrugged.

"Well, you saved me from a really bad mistake."  There was wonder in
Daniel's voice.  "Wow.  My little brother came to my rescue."

He started to reach toward Joey again, then abruptly checked himself.  He
took a step backwards.  "Shit."  He wrapped his arms tight around himself.
"I'm going over to Steve's.  You gonna be okay?"

"Sure, Daniel."

"Call me if she comes back.  Right?"

"Right."

Daniel was out the rest of the day.  He was still gone when Joey went to
bed that night.





"Fuck!  Fuck!  Fuck!"

Joey woke to the sound of Daniel yelling as he came down the hallway.  It
was five in the morning and the slam of the door to the garage was still
reverberating through the house.

"Get up, Joey!"  Daniel stood in his bedroom doorway.  He was dressed in
the same grey t-shirt and khakis he'd been wearing the day before.

"What is it, Daniel?"

"Get up!  We've got to talk to that bitch.  I've been tossing and turning
on Steve's lumpy couch all night and suddenly everything clicked.  We've
got to go talk to her.  Take your shower and get dressed.  Come on bro,
move it!"

Joey showered and dressed.  He found Daniel in the living room, pacing.

"All right," he said as soon as he saw Joey.  "Let's go."

They took the Porsche and Daniel drove like a bat out of Hell.  It wasn't
until he turned onto the southbound freeway and they headed out of town
that Joey realized that the bitch Daniel was talking about wasn't Duessa.
They were driving to Aunt Vivana's convent.

Daniel roared into the parking lot in front of the brick church and
screeched to a stop.  He was out of the car and pounding on the door to the
administrative office before Joey had gotten out of the car.

The door remained closed.  It didn't look like the lights were on inside.
Daniel checked his watch.  It was seven twenty.  He took a couple steps
back and surveyed the buildings, then cupped his hands.

"Sister Vivana!" he bellowed.  "You have visitors!  Come and talk to us!"
He cocked his head and listened for a minute.  Then he cupped his hands
again.  "Vivana!  We're lost in darkness!  Auntie, come and give us some
illumination!"

The door to the chapel cracked open and Aunt Vivana slipped out.

"Stop it!" she hissed.  "Show some respect, if not for me than for the
others and for this place.  What do you want?"

"Illumination, Auntie, like I said."

"Vivana glowered at them.  "We could call the police."

"Fine.  I'll call Opal to come bail us out."

Vivana's eyes narrowed.  "You just want to talk?"

"Yeah.  Real talk, with real answers.  No bullshit this time."

"And then you'll leave?"

"Yeah."

"Wait there and I'll be right back.  No more shouting."

Vivana slipped back inside the chapel.  Two minutes later she was back and
facing Daniel.  Her face was tight-lipped with anger and her hand shook as
it clenched the rosary.

"Come with me," she ordered, and set off on a brick walkway leading away
from the chapel.  Daniel and Joey followed her.  The path took them across
a field of wild grasses and through a thicket of shrubs into a small
meditation garden.  It was just after dawn and the sun angled across the
garden.

Vivana rounded on them.  "This is totally uncalled for.  We'll have our
conversation, Daniel, but then I want you to leave.  If I'm not back by the
end of the service they will call the police and you will go to jail.  I
don't believe that you've had any contact with Opal, so don't play those
kind of games with me."

"I don't play the kind of games your family plays, Vivana.  I just want the
truth."

"I've told you the truth."

"Bullshit!  You intentionally misled me -- if not with your words, then
with your silence!"

Vivana sighed.  She looked down at the rosary.  "What is it you want to
know, Daniel?"

"When exactly did Charolotta die?  When?"

Vivana was silent for a long moment.  "She died the night before Mercedes
was hospitalized."

"That night?  She died that night?  The same night Mercedes had her
breakdown?"

"Yes."

"Witches can choose what sex their baby will be.  You said that.  And your
own daughter was waiting for me in a bar that I picked at random.
Coincidences don't just happen when witches are around.  It wasn't
coincidence that Charolotta died the night Mercedes lost her mind.  It
wasn't."

"But child –"

"Don't!  Don't fuck with me!  I'm a goddamn werewolf and I'm pissed!  She
killed her, didn't she?  Mercedes cast a spell or something that killed
Charolotta.  Tell me I'm wrong.  Look me in the eye, Sister Vivana, and
tell me I'm wrong!"

Vivana shook her head slowly.  She did not look up.  "No.  You are not
wrong."

Now she lifted her head to return Daniel's gaze.  Her eyes were bright with
unshed tears.  "She had such a deep inheritance of Darkness, Mercedes did.
Such a deep Darkness.  She overwhelmed all the bans, all the oaths that
stop us from harming each other.  She killed Charolotta that night.  But it
came at the cost of her sanity.  Charolotta had her revenge."

"That's the reason Momma Lolotta forbade anyone to come see her, isn't it?
Not because Mercedes had decided to marry and have a boy, but because she
murdered her sister.  Right?"

"Yes."

"I knew it!  I fucking knew it!"  Daniel spun away to punch the air.  He
rounded back on her.  "Now tell me the rest!"

"But I don't – "

"You pious lying bitch!  You do too!  Why did Mercedes kill her own sister?
What made her do it?  Was it because of something Charolotta did?
Something that made Mercedes so full of hatred and rage that she was
willing to sacrifice her own sanity in order to get revenge?"

Vivana closed her eyes.  "Yes," she whispered.  "Charolotta killed your
father."

"Fuck!  Fuck!  Fuck!  I knew it!  Why?  Why did she do it? Just because
Mercedes married him?  Just because she had Joey?"

"No," the answer was almost inaudible.

"Then why?"

Vivana wiped her eyes.  She took a steadying breath and answered in a
louder voice.  "That had all happened years earlier.  Charolotta had no
reason to do it back then.  Birthing a son and marrying your father had
made Momma Lolotta furious with Mercedes.  Charolotta loved that.  Her
ambition was to be the next matriarch of the Esterra Lineage.  She believed
Mercedes was her greatest rival."

Vivana shook her head.  "Charolotta never understand that Mercedes didn't
care about becoming matriarch.  Her ambitions were so much greater.
Mercedes wanted stop the Darkness from dwindling.  She wanted to reverse
the tide."

The tears spilled over and began streaming down Vivana's cheeks.  "That was
what got Jonathan killed."

"What do you mean?" Daniel demanded.

"They were working together, trying to understand why the Darkness
dwindles.  But in order for him to help, she had to teach him all she knew
of the Dark Arts."

Vivana's face was a mask, expressionless, as tears dripped from her chin.
"She shared secrets of the Estrella first line with a man.  And not just
any man -- a scientist.  She betrayed her heritage by disclosing that
which the Darkness conceals from the Children of Light.  That's why
Charolotta killed him."

Daniel's eyes narrowed to a predator's gaze.  "How did Charolotta know?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did Mercedes announce it to the family?  Did she tell them that she was
violating the rules by sharing their precious secrets with her husband?
Who did she tell, Vivana?  Who knew she had done this?"

"We ... " Vivana's cheek twitched, "witches have ways of finding things
out."

"Lately I've been remembering a lot about Mercedes."  Daniel's words were
soft and smooth as a stalking cat.  "Witches also have ways of keeping
things hidden, even from other witches.  Mercedes could have done something
to keep the rest of her family from learning what she was doing.  If she
knew how the others would feel about it, she definitely would have.

"But you, Vivana, you were her favorite.  You were the only one in the
family she really cared about.  Whenever you called she was always so happy
to hear from you.  She told you, didn't she?  She told you what she and my
dad were doing.  And you told Charolotta.  And Charolotta killed my father.
And Mercedes killed Charolotta and went insane and died.  That's what
happened, isn't it?"

"Yes," she whispered, her face ashen.  "May God forgive me, yes."

"Fuuuuck," the word was half obscenity and half sob.  "So you crawled into
a convent and slammed the door shut as soon as you could, as soon as Opal
turned eighteen."

"Daniel," Vivana fell to her knees.  "Please."  She brought the rosary to
her bosom.  "Daniel ... Joseph ... please kneel and pray with me.  Pray
that God's love and forgiveness will heal us all.  Please pray with me.
Please."

Daniel stared down at her.  "You pray, bitch.  We've done nothing that
needs forgiveness."

He grabbed his brother's arm and led him out of the garden back to the
Porsche.


=======================================================================


Oh my -- such drama!  But then what family doesn't have its little ups
and downs?  This is what I mean.  You're all just so tasty.

Of course, sometimes the plot needs a little help along the way.  For
example, it took a bit of elbow jabbing on my part to get Joey to push his
interfering cousin out of the picture.  But I wasn't about to let Opal
distract Danny-boy from the hunt.  It's been six long years and I'm sick of
waiting.  And that old werewolf is getting pretty long in the tooth and
doesn't like to wander.  Took quite a bit of Joey juice to get him out of
his cabin in the national forest and down to his rendezvous with Danny-boy.
I just had to do something to get that kid off of his ass and searching for
his father's answer.

Like the little witch said, Darkness calls to Darkness.  What she didn't
say is that sometimes Darkness commands.


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