Page 29 of Kiss of Blood and Sin

I cocked an eyebrow. “And if I don’t?”

He moved in close, his breath hot against my skin, his words a venomous whisper. “Then your precious brother and the mafia princess will suffer for your stubbornness.”

I recoiled as I met his gaze head on, watching him twirl the two dolls meditatively. “Wow, Dad. You really know how to make a compelling argument except I couldn’t care less about the princess. Threaten the only person I care about, and suddenly I’m supposed to jump at your command? I must have missed that lesson in Parenting 101.”

I pushed past him, putting some distance between us as I tried to clear my head. The weight of his threats hung heavy in the air, but I’d be damned if I’d let him see how much they shook me.

“Let me get this straight,” I said, turning to face him with a look of mock contemplation. “You want me to infiltrate the Santi family, steal some magic mirror, and hand it over to you? And in return, you’ll graciously spare my brother and the princess from your twisted little games with dolls?”

I let out a humorless chuckle, shaking my head in disbelief. “You know, for someone who claims to be all-powerful, you sure do need a lot of help from your son. What’s the matter, Dad? Getting rusty in your old age? Why can’t you just steal the damned mirror yourself? You’re already in the Santi family.”

My father’s eyes flashed with anger, but I held up a hand, cutting off any retort. “Spare me the indignant act. We both know you’re not above doing anything, even using your own flesh and blood, to get what you want.”

Petar’s jaw clenched, his voice low and dangerous. “You think I haven’t tried? That mirror is protected by powerful magic. Only a Santi by blood can touch it without triggering the alarms. And Angelo...” He paused, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. “Angelo doesn’t trust me enough to let me near it. But you, his sister’s valiant protector? You might just have a shot.”

I scoffed, trying to mask my surprise at this revelation. “So that’s your game. Use me to bypass the magical security. How touching, Dad. Really feeling the family love here.”

“Don’t be naive, Dimitri,” Petar sneered. “This is bigger than you or me. That mirror holds power beyond your imagination. In the right hands, it could reshape the supernatural world. In the wrong hands...” He left the threat hanging.

I rolled my eyes, even though I fought to keep the anger brewing inside me under control. “Right, because nothing says trust me like threats and the mention of world-altering power. You really know how to sell it, Dad.”

I leaned against the wall, affecting a casual pose I didn’t feel. “And let me guess, your hands are the right ones?”

He chuckled, a sound that sent an involuntary chill down my spine. “Something like that,” he said, his eyes glinting with a dangerous light. “Let’s just say I have…plans for it.”

I had to find out what devious plot he had conjured up and who with. Dear old dad doesn’t usually go solo. I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a low, menacing growl. “Let me make one thing crystal clear. If you lay a finger on my brother, if you so much as look at him in a way I don’t like, I will rain down a world of pain on you that you can’t even begin to imagine.”

He didn’t even flinch and just gave me a huge Cheshire cat smile. “Just steal the mirror,” he put up his hands, “and everything will be fine.”

I held his gaze, letting the weight of his words sink in. “I’ll play your little game, but not because you’ve threatened me. I’ll do it because I’m the only one who can protect them from you. And when this is all over, when I have that mirror in my hands, you and I are going to have a long overdue conversation about the meaning of family loyalty.”

With that, I turned on my heel and walked away, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to ignore the sinking feeling in my gut. I knew I was walking into a trap, but if it meant keeping the people I cared about safe, I’d gladly march into the lion’s den and face any teeth and claws lying in wait for me.

Chapter Eighteen

Gianna

A gentle hand on my shoulder roused me from my slumber. “Gianna, Gianna, it’s time to wake up,” a soft voice coaxed, the sound slowly penetrating the haze of sleep that still fogged my mind.

I stirred, my eyelids fluttering open as I took in my surroundings. The unfamiliar room came into focus, and I pushed myself up on the couch. Frowning, I scanned the area, a strange sense of emptiness settling in my chest. The last thing I remembered was Dimitri watching over me. Disappointment swelled inside me at his disappearing act. I thought he’d stay until I woke up. “Where’s Dimitri?” My voice was thick with sleep and an emotion I couldn’t quite place.

Louise shrugged, her expression nonchalant as she heldtwo steaming mugs of coffee. The rich aroma wafted toward me, and my stomach growled in response. “No idea,” she replied, offering me one of the cups. “Want some coffee?”

I reached gratefully for the mug that was loaded with cream, my fingers curling around the warm ceramic, but the sadness that swept over me was surprisingly intense. It settled in the pit of my stomach like a heavy stone, and I found myself struggling to maintain a neutral expression.

Louise chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she watched me. “Oh, Gianna dear. You look like you’re disappointed,” she teased, her tone light and playful.

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I ducked my head to my mug, taking a sip of the coffee to hide my face. The hot liquid scalded my tongue and I nearly choked, sputtering as I tried to regain my composure. “No, I’m not,” I managed, shaking my head vehemently. Who was I kidding? The lie sounded weak even to me.

I could feel Louise’s teasing gaze on me, and I studiously avoided making eye contact, focusing instead on the swirling steam rising from my mug. My heart raced in my chest. Why was Dimitri’s absence affecting me so deeply? That was a question I wasn’t sure I was ready to answer, even privately to myself.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, my fingers tightening around the warm mug as I quickly changed the subject. “What time is it?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual despite the lingering unease in my gut.

“Almost eight,” Louise replied, glancing at her watchbefore taking a sip of her own coffee after carefully blowing on it.

A yawn escaped my lips, and I stretched my arms above my head, feeling the satisfying pop of my joints. “Where’s Augustus?”

Louise settled into the loveseat across from me, the same spot where Dimitri had been keeping watch over me all night. The memory sent a strange flutter through my chest, and I had to force myself to focus on Louise’s words. “He left early,” she explained, her fingers absently tracing the rim of her mug. “The high priestess summoned him.”

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