Page 28 of Kiss of Blood and Sin

A harsh laugh escaped my lips, and I shook my head in disbelief. “Right, because you’ve always been the picture of loyalty and devoted protection. Tell me, do Angelo or Gianna know about your little side projects? The ones that leave a trail of broken bodies in their wake?”

Anger flashed in Petar’s eyes, and he opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off with a sharp shove to his chest. He staggered back, surprise flickering briefly across his face before the expression was replaced with a mask of cold fury.

“Don’t give me that shit, Petar,” I snarled. “You’re not here to protect anyone but yourself. That’s what you’ve always done, isn’t it? Use people until they’ve served their purpose, then toss them aside like yesterday’s trash?”

Petar straightened, a menacing smile on his lips. “Watch it, son. I’m more powerful than you are.”

I let out a low, dangerous chuckle, taking a step closer until we were nose to nose. “Don’t threaten me like that. It doesn’t work on me anymore. I’m not the scared little boy you used to push around.”

I leaned in, my voice dropping to a whisper. “I’m watching you. And if you so much as breathe in a way that puts Gianna or Valentin in danger, I’ll be there to stop you. Unlike you, I actually give a damn about something other than my own power.”

“Hmm,” he murmured as he rubbed his chin. “I think I have something that will change your mind.” He opened thedoor across the hall from Louise’s and Augustus’ apartment. He beckoned for me to follow him inside.

Compared to Augustus’ and Louise’s apartment, this one was sparsely furnished with a worn, flower-patterned fabric couch and an end table with a lamp. No pictures or paintings hung on the wall. There was a small wooden kitchen table with four chairs. It looked like someone had picked the furniture up from a garage sale. It was as bleak as Petar’s personality.

He opened up a kitchen cabinet and pulled out a small, intricately crafted puppet, its features unmistakably those of my brother, Valentin, right down to the smallest detail. The lifelike resemblance was uncanny, almost as if a miniature version of my brother had been captured within the doll’s form.

I smirked to cover the unease churning in my gut. “Well, well, well. Looks like someone’s been playing with dolls. Should I be worried about your secret tea parties?”

He chuckled coldly, a mirthless sound that sent a chill down my spine. “Always with the jokes, Dimitri. I assure you this is no ordinary doll. It’s a Malefic Puppet, far more potent and insidious than your supposedly witty remarks.”

I stepped forward, my eyes narrowing as I studied the puppet more closely. “A Malefic Puppet, huh? Sounds like something straight out of a bad horror movie. What’s next, evil clowns and possessed teddy bears?”

His fingers caressed the puppet with a cruel tenderness that made my skin crawl. “Mock all you like, but this puppet has the power to bind the essence of its victim. Every twist,every pinch, every act of malice inflicted upon it is mirrored in the one it resembles. The high priestess herself crafted it for me, ensuring its power is unparalleled.”

I let out a low whistle and gave him a nonchalant shrug, even as my heart raced in my chest. “Impressive. Remind me to send her a thank you note for the nightmares.”

I paced the room with a casual swagger that belied the tension coiling in my muscles. “But here’s the thing, Petar. You’re not the only one with tricks up your sleeve. I’ve got a few connections of my own, and I’m not afraid to use them.”

I stopped, turning to face him. “So let’s cut to the chase. What’s your end game here? You want to use that creepy little puppet to hurt my brother…why? To get to me? Because let me tell you, that’s a dangerous game.”

“Perhaps,” he grinned, a wicked gleam in his eyes that made my skin crawl. “But I know you, Dimitri. I know you’d do anything to protect that little bastard.”

“Indeed I would. So let me ask you this. What’s to stop me from snatching that creepy little thing and tossing it into the nearest fire?” I lunged for the doll, my fingers barely grazing its surface before a searing pain shot through my hand, as if I’d plunged it into a vat of boiling oil. “Son of a bitch!” I hissed through clenched teeth, cradling my scorched flesh to my chest.

“Oh, did I forget to mention?” He chuckled, a fearsome sound that set my teeth on edge. “The high priestess cast a spell on the Malefic Puppet. Only I can touch it.”

My stomach dropped, a wave of nausea washing over me as the implications of his words sank in. The puppet was myonly hope, and now it was beyond my reach. I fought to keep my expression neutral, even as fury ignited in my chest.

I narrowed my eyes as I fought back the rage bubbling up inside me. “You’ll pay for this,” I ground out dangerously, my voice low.

He reached into the cupboard again, his movements slow and deliberate, and pulled out another doll that bore an uncanny resemblance to Gianna. My heart plummeted into my stomach, and I swallowed the bile rising in my throat.

There was no way I could let him know that I cared about her. It was just something else he could use against me. Valentin was bad enough. I plastered on my most sardonic smirk, arching an eyebrow.

“Care about a spoiled princess? Please,” I drawled, my voice dripping with disdain. “I’m just here for the entertainment. You know how I love a good damsel in distress story.” I paused for effect, then added with a wink, “Besides, someone has to keep her out of trouble. It’s practically a full-time job.”

My heart raced, betraying the nonchalance I was trying to project. But I kept my expression carefully controlled, hoping he couldn’t see through my act. The last thing I needed was for him to realize just how much she was getting under my skin.

A mischievous smile spread across his face, a smile I knew well that always made my blood run cold. “No, son. You’ll do what I say. You’re going to come with me to New Orleans.”

Every instinct in my body was screaming at me to refuse, to tell him to go to hell, but I bit my tongue. Maybe if Igained his trust and he let his guard down, I could find a way to steal the damn dolls.

He circled me like a shark, reveling in the power he held over me. “You’ll join the Santi family, and then you’ll steal the Moirai Mirror.”

I schooled my features into a mask of indifference even as my heart pounded in my chest. “The Moirai Mirror?”

“Yes. It can show the future, you know,” he replied, his voice a sickening blend of smugness and anticipation. “And you’re going to steal it for me.”

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