Page 29 of Chains of Blood and Darkness

Her lips curled into a sardonic smile, revealing pointed fangs. “Oh yes. When you’re the sister of a Mafia king, you’re always well-guarded. Sometimes too well-guarded. We have many enemies, and my brother doesn’t trust anyone to protect me, especially not my husband.”

I furrowed my brows. “Why not?”

“Because Dimitri is a born vampire, and therefore, according to my dear brother, not as powerful as made vampires like us.”

“Born…made… What does that mean, exactly?” Maybe I could find out something that would eventually help me escape from here.

“Really? No one has told you about our world? So typical of my brother, Mr. Man-who-keeps-secrets. Okay—there are two kinds of vampires—made vampires, meaning we were born human but then turned at some point, and then born vampires, which is…well, just how it sounds. Made vampires are practically immortal, and we become even more powerful as we age. We’re much stronger than the born vampires.”

“So you’re a?—”

“Made vampire, yes. My brother turned me centuries ago.” There was a hint of resentment in her tone that made me want to ask about that, but after seeing how Jacques had reacted to her, I didn’t think questioning the princess was a good idea.

She narrowed her eyes. “However, my husband isn’t, so my wonderful brother made him his chauffeur, even though Dimitri really is powerful in his own right.”

If I wasn’t so terrified, I would have laughed, but Gianna didn’t seem to have a sense of humor about her husband being treated like a servant, so I kept quiet.

Luckily, Gianna changed the subject as she glanced around the room. “I take it you’re doing research.” She studied me. “Do you know what you are?”

“I’m…human?” I ventured, still not ready to believe I was anything else.

“Your parents were both human, then?”

“Yes…well…I don’t know. I’m not quite sure what to believe.” I just met this woman, and here she was asking me all kinds of personal questions. Normally, I shied away from those, especially ones about my father. It was too painful to talk about him. I glanced down at the way I was wringing my hands. It was something I always did when I got nervous.

She leaned back in her chair as if she was conducting a job interview. “Tell me about your parents.”

I didn’t want to share my whole torrid family history with her, so I just told her the basics. Hopefully, it would appease her and keep her from attacking me. “I never knew my biological father. He left before I was born. Then Mommarried my stepfather, and he’s the only father I’ve ever known.”

Silence fell over us like a blanket. I opened the book, not wanting to dive into family history with Gianna any further.

I dug into the book, hoping the interrogation had stopped. I had just finished reading a chapter when she suddenly spoke, breaking my concentration.

“Is your stepfather the one that gave you the marks on your lower back?” Her voice rippled with genuine kindness…kindness I wasn’t ready to accept yet.

I gritted my teeth. “God, is there a flipping newsletter circulating about my body? Remind me never to tell Elena any secrets.” Bitterness laced my words.

What was I thinking? Elena and Gianna were both vampires and could easily kill me for being disrespectful. I needed to keep my anger in check better.

But Gianna didn’t seem to get annoyed. Instead, she gave me an understanding smile like my mother used to do when I would get mad. “Don’t be angry. Elena is worried about you, that’s all. She’s a real mother hen and wants to protect all her chicks, even my husband.”

“And now I’m another one of those chicks?” A sharp edge crept into my voice like an icicle shattering on the pavement.

She gave me a warm smile. “I’m afraid so.” She stretched her arms over her head. “Do you want some help researching?”

She seemed kind, but then again, she was Angelo’s sister. “You would help me?”

“Sure, I don’t have anything else to do except file my nailsfor the millionth time.” She came over and looked at my book. “Angels, huh? What specifically about them?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe healing powers. Unless you have a better idea?”

She shrugged as she got up and brushed her fingers over the spines of the book. “No, that sounds like a good place to start.” She pulled out another angel book and returned to her spot across from me. “Anything specific?”

“Start with just healing in general. Maybe there’s a particular type of angel that heals. Oh! Or one that has a penchant for loving humans and leaving a trail of broken hearts—an angel deadbeat dad.”

“That narrows it down some, but not much. Just so you know.”

“Great,” I mumbled. “It’s going to be like looking for an earring in the dark.”

---