Page 21 of Chains of Blood and Darkness

No, this was different. Sloppy. Someone was leaving a trail of dead bodies pointing to me as the killer. I had to find out who was behind these murders and why they were trying to frame me.

As a vampire, I was no stranger to death, but this was different. This was a threat to my family, my power, everything I had built. I wouldn’t stand for it. I would hunt down the killer and make them pay for daring to challenge the Santi family.

I pinned my hopes on Enzo and his informant to unearth more clues. The pieces of this particular puzzle werescattered everywhere, and I needed to fit them together before Detective DuPont did.

I needed answers, ones that only the shadows whispered. Picking up my phone, I dialed. Keir answered on the first ring, his voice a calm, cool breeze in the stifling heat of my concerns.

“Santi. I didn’t think I would hear from you after the auction.” His tone was a combination of annoyance laced with begrudging understanding.

“I wouldn’t be calling unless I was forced to, Keir,” I growled, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. “I assume you’ve heard of these two dead girls?”

“I have. Detective DuPont made a house call to me. From what I understand, he also paid a visit to the wolves.”

I flipped through the security camera coverage at Crimson Stakes, hunting for past footage of Nancee. According to the newspapers, she had been killed five days ago. “Did you learn anything from him?”

A brief silence followed, not of hesitation but of consideration. “Only that one of the dead girls was a dealer at your Crimson Stakes, and the other was a waitress at Trystan’s Lunar Majesty.”

I stopped scrolling and sat up. “Was she a wolf?”

“Trystan’s not saying. You know how wolves are about protecting their pack.”

Maybe Trystan wasn’t involved, not if one of his own had been killed. Trystan was fiercely loyal to his pack and didn’t kill innocents. I frowned. If it wasn’t us, and it wasn’t the wolves, perhaps I was talking to the one who had ordered the murders right now.

As if reading my thoughts, Keir sighed. “In case you’re wondering, it wasn’t me.”

“How do I know that’s true?”

“I guess you’re going to have to trust me.”

Like I did at Simon’s, when you tried to steal Serenity from me?

I held my tongue, deciding to focus on the matter at hand. “Did you tell DuPont anything about the auction?”

“What, and incriminate myself?” Keir’s tone betrayed no surprise, only a readiness to delve into the depths of the problem. “Do you suspect there’s more at play here?”

“Exactly. There are connections I can’t see yet, chess pieces missing from the board. And there’s DuPont, sniffing around like a dog who knows where all the bones are buried,” I said, my frustration mounting. “I need your sight, Keir. The kind that sees through the veils in a way that others can’t.”

His chuckle was soft, almost inaudible, yet it carried the confidence of one who held many cards in his hands. He would definitely deserve a favor from me in the end, but if he thought that favor was Serenity, he would be sorely disappointed. “Your trust in the dark Fae is not misplaced, Angelo. Let’s see what we can uncover together. The shadows often speak more truthfully to those willing to listen. This time, however, you will owe me.”

“I understand that. I wouldn’t be calling if I had anywhere else to turn. The police are getting too close, and I can’t afford any missteps. I must warn you, though, if I suspect a betrayal on your part against me, my family, or the Nephilim…”

“Understood.” I could hear the note of fear in his voice, much as he tried to hide it. “Give me some time to...consult my sources. I’ll find out what I can about the girls and why the police suspect you.”

“Thanks, Keir. Like you said, I owe you one.” The last thing I wanted was to owe a favor to the dark Fae King. Knowing him, he would try to wiggle something out of me that he wanted, like Serenity or one of the magical objects I possessed, or request I give up some territory to him. He had always wanted Crimson Stakes for its prime location. I might be willing to bargain with a magical object, but Serenity and Crimson Stakes were off the table.

If he pushed for either of those, most likely a war would break out between us. I would die protecting what was mine.

“Perhaps,” he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. “But let’s not count debts just yet. Talk soon, Santi.” His smooth tone didn’t do anything to dispel my suspicions.

The call ended, leaving me sitting silently in my office, the weight of the unsolved mystery pressing down on me. At least with Keir now on the hunt, the shadows that obscured the truth might become less impenetrable. I would also soon find out if he was an ally or an enemy.

I went back to studying the security tape at Crimson Stakes, losing all sense of time as I watched Nancee’s every movement. She had done her job as a blackjack dealer well—she smiled, dealt cards, and made money for the house. There was some light flirting, but nothing out of the ordinary. I had to be missing something, something right under my nose.

Hurried footsteps pounded down the hallway. Lorenzo burst into my office, panting, his eyes huge. “Sir, Enzo’s been attacked. I think…I think he’s dying.”

Chapter Ten

Serenity

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