Page 62 of Chains of Blood and Darkness

Steven’s mouth fell wide open, and his face contorted in pain, the veins in his neck bulging. Then, without warning, he let out a blood-curdling scream that echoed throughout the room. I flinched. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Serenity’s stricken face, and guilt gnawed at my insides, but if I didn’t get at the truth, Joy was a dead woman.

“You will tell me what happened to Joy,” I commanded, pushing harder against the unseen force that blocked my path. I could feel the power surging through me, my determination fueling my strength.

“You’re hurting him!” Serenity’s anguished cry cut through the air. “Gianna said it wouldn’t hurt! Please, stop!”

I glanced over my shoulder, my heart twisting at the sight of Serenity’s tearstained face. “It’s not me,” I admitted, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “Something is preventing him from speaking.”

Enzo, Dimitri, and Gianna all gaped at me, their eyes wide with disbelief. “But how can that be, brother?” Gianna’s voice trembled, fear and confusion in her voice. “You’re more powerful than any of us.”

Dimitri, never one to let a moment of tension pass without comment, chimed in with his trademark smirk. “Well, well. Looks like our big bad vampire just hit the supernatural equivalent of a ‘No Entry’ sign. Should we try knocking? Or maybe slide a note under the invisible door?” His eyes glinted with a mix of amusement and concern. “I’d offer to give it a try myself, but I prefer my mind games without the actual mind-bending, thanks.”

“I don’t know what’s happening.” I turned back to Steven, my mind racing as I tried to make sense of the impossible. What could possibly be strong enough to resist the compulsion of an ancient vampire as old and powerful as myself? And how was it connected to Joy’s disappearance?

As I stared into Steven’s eyes, I saw a flicker of something dark and malevolent there, an ancient presence that mocked me from the depths of his soul. In that moment, I knew we were dealing with something far more dangerous than anything we had ever faced before.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Serenity

The atmosphere in the room was so thick that I felt like I was drowning, and the tension was so heavy, it was almost a physical presence, pressing down on me from all sides until I could barely breathe. Even worse than the suffocating pressure was the overwhelming sense of fear that radiated off everyone surrounding me.

It was like a living thing…a dark, insidious entity that crept into my mind and wrapped its icy fingers around my heart. I could feel it emanating from Enzo, Dimitri, and Gianna, could practically taste their sharp, acrid terror on the back of my tongue. I’d never been able to sense anyone’s feelings before like this. Did it have to do with the bonding between Angelo and me?

Only Louis DuPont sat motionless, his eyes still glazedover and vacant, as if he had been transformed into a wax dummy. The compulsion that Angelo had used on him had him in its thrall, rendering him oblivious to the growing horror that threatened to engulf us all.

I watched as Angelo turned back to Steven, his jaw set with grim determination. The air around him crackled with barely contained power, a tangible force that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Because, beneath the surface, I could sense his fear and uncertainty in the face of this new and terrifying threat.

I thought about Angelo killing Freddie. He’d said it was ugly. I couldn’t bear the thought of him killing Steven too. My chest tightened, and I could barely breathe as I pleaded with Angelo. “Please don’t hurt Steven. He’s always been like a brother to me.”

Angelo ignored my plea and turned to Louis, his eyes intense and focused. “I need to see if he is possessed by this presence as well. Tell me everything you know, Detective.”

Louis struggled against the compulsion, his face contorting in agony. “I…can’t.” He began to drool, his body convulsing violently. A blood-curdling scream tore from his throat before his eyes fluttered shut and he slumped over, unconscious.

“Damn it,” Angelo growled, frustration and anger flowing from him in waves. “His mind is blocked from me too.”

Enzo rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his brow furrowed. “Angelo, do you think Marsha might be behind this? Perhaps she conjured up some kind of spell.”

Angelo shook his head, his expression grim. “It doesn’tfeel like witchcraft. I’ve sensed her magic before, and this is different, much more powerful.”

Goosebumps broke out all over my arms. The mention of her name brought a flood of vivid, visceral memories—the suffocating fear, the helplessness, the searing pain of her cruel spells. My stomach churned, and I could almost feel the phantom ache of invisible bonds tightening around my limbs, a ghostly echo of the magical restraints she’d used at Simon’s auction.

A cold, creeping dread settled into the pit of my stomach, and I could feel the pressure of the situation pushing down on me. I turned to Angelo, my voice trembling. “So…Joy…do you think Simon has her?”

He rubbed his forehead wearily. “Possibly.” His gaze shifted to Enzo, and he spoke with authority, his face hardening with resolve. “Lock these two up in the dungeon, and then take your men and go to Simon’s Ravenwood. Report back to me.”

Fear pulsed through my veins, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. “Dungeon?” I whispered. “How can you have a basement? We live in New Orleans.”

“The dungeon isn’t in a basement. It’s in a secure room.” He held up his palm, his eyes flickering with a hint of warning. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to torture them.” Yet I could hear it in his voice. If Angelo didn’t get what he wanted, he would use force.

God, this was beyond awful. If Angelo didn’t kill them, whatever dark force was controlling their minds certainly would. Worse, I was powerless to help them.

“Where’s this secure room?”

My question was met with silence.

Enzo focused on Angelo, his posture tense and alert. “Dimitri, Petar, and I will go to Ravenwood Estates. Are you going to contact Keir?”

Dimitri’s eyebrows shot up, a sardonic smirk playing on his lips. “Oh joy, a field trip to Simon’s house of overpriced knick-knacks. Just what I always wanted.” He glanced at Angelo, his eyes glinting with a mix of humor and wariness. “You sure you want to bring Papa Keir into this? Last I checked, his idea of ‘helping’ usually involves blood, mayhem, and a body count that would make the Grim Reaper blush.”

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