BOOK ONE Gods of Desterrados: The Banished Ones

13 The Aria of Dahlia

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Fraternal twins, Carlitos Alexander Arroyo and Francisco Antony Desterrados, inherited strong bloodlines. The elders in their father's family would often tell folk stories of how the Desterrados family's name, which meant banished ones, was a bloodline that shared the legacy of the twin Greek child gods, Alexiares and Anicetus. 

They were the offspring of the banished siblings Hercules and Hebe. And Hercules was rumored to be buried in Spain, where most of the descendants originated from. 

The elders would often spin tales about how Hercules and Hebe's bloodline were so powerful, their combat abilities and all their wisdom could carry on to all who shared their lineage. And because Carlitos and Francisco, were twins, their powers were tenfold.

The Desterrados elders also stated that when a bloodline is that powerful, all those who shared the same lineage would instinctively seek out only mates that could preserve the bloodline. The urge would be so strong, it would be next to impossible to resist procreation out of an ancient base need to protect Hercules' and Hebe's legacy. Men and women of the Desterrados bloodline would be cursed only to produce offspring with those who shared the same lineage, but at a terrible price.

Francisco and Carlitos' mother's Desterrados bloodline was just as strong. Her ancestors were Spanish conquistadors who traveled far and wide, with some of them eventually settling in northern Europe. Their mother was born into a violently powerful crime dynasty dating back from the Spanish armadas but she always resented it.

The twins were highly privileged American citizens, born at New York Presbyterian Hospital. They were the sons of Cpt. Ernesto Desterrados, a highly decorated military officer of the El Salvadoran Armada. 

Ernesto Desterrados was trained by the US government and fought valiantly for change, to one day end the civil wars raging throughout his country. As a respected military tactician and strategist, his services were often sought to carry out negotiations between both sides, as a military consultant.

Carlitos and Francisco, known to all as Carlos and Franco, were their mother's pride and joy. The twin brothers were a physical testament of the innocence their mother longed for and protected lovingly, as she lived for her sons and her life with Ernesto.

Dahlia Arroyo was an heiress from the Arroyo Crime Dynasty in Spain. When Carlos and Franco were born, Dahlia and Ernesto chose to give each child a different given surname name so each family would continue on, since Dahlia was the only surviving child in her family. 

So Carlos was given the Arroyo surname. But Dahlia kept her children a secret from the remaining family members in Spain in order to shield her sons from living a life of crime, or worse. There were many who would wish harm on her sons in order to prevent them from one day claiming their rightful place as the heads of the crime dynasty.

Dahlia Arroyo was a famous celebrity in America, known to all her fans as a well-loved Spanish-American opera singer. Dahlia relocated to New York from Spain when she was just eighteen years old to rid herself of her family's violent legacy.

It was there she met the exotically handsome, Ernesto, who was working on a classified mission with the CIA. They fell in love over a song. 

Ernesto was ordered to attend an event at the Met for a surveillance job of a Mafia Capo there. 

As Ernesto watched the target from the shadows, his attention suddenly turned to the stage as he observed a radiantly beautiful young Spanish girl, entering gracefully. She was wearing a majestically stunning golden gown appearing ethereal. Light flashed from her brilliant clothing with starlit fluidity.