Page 3 of Chains of Blood and Darkness

The mention of wolves lingered in my mind, ominous and confusing. Why wolves? The question haunted me as I tried to mask my fear, my brain racing for a way out.

I lay perfectly still, pretending to be too scared to move. The gray-haired woman grabbed my arm and pulled me roughly to my feet.

My wrists and ankles ached as she untied them, but the second I was free, I immediately swung my arm and connected with her jaw, sending her staggering back. Blood gushed from her nose as she cried out in pain.

Marsha grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back, causing me to cry out. I refused to give up. With all my strength, I slammed my head back into her face, breaking free of her grip.

I lunged for the nearby window, frantically searching for a way out of this hellish situation.

“Éclat de Chaos,” Marsha cried out behind me.

Instantly, a wave of agony wracked my body, as if a fist had crushed me. I bent over, holding my sides, freedom just out of my grip.

Marsha gripped my hair with her fingers, her nails scratching my scalp. Tears of frustration streamed down my face.

“I assume Simon told you he had a witch.” She gave me asinister smile. “That’s me. And this is just one of my many spells that can cause you pain.”

Simon stood in the doorway, watching with a cruel grin on his face. “I told you we could make you suffer, leaving no visible marks,” he taunted as he approached me.

“Lame Diabolique.” Marsha released me and the pain ceased. But it had zapped all my energy, and I crumbled to the floor, landing hard on my knees and then falling forward onto my stomach.

In a desperate attempt to get away, I crept toward the window like a chastised dog, but glanced over my shoulder when I heard footsteps following me, only to find myself looking right into Simon’s cold, calculating eyes. Fear turned me to stone. I had just made a grave mistake.

Chapter Two

Angelo

The door to my office creaked open, and I glanced up from my computer. The sight of Enzo Di Salvo, my trusted longtime enforcer and best friend, pulled my attention away from the screen. His heavy boots thudded on the hardwood floor as he took a seat in the leather chair facing my desk. He was dressed in one of his customary navy-blue suits with a white shirt and black tie, and his long, wavy brown hair was, as always, combed perfectly. Image was everything to him.

“What news do you have from theFondatori?” I asked, my voice tinged with urgency.

Enzo met my gaze with worried, amber eyes. “There’s been a big meeting on Seafarer’s Island in Nova Scotia.” His tone hinted at disaster, and I braced myself for the worst. “One of the kings, Heinrich Rainer, managed to get himself beheaded in Germany.”

This was the last thing I wanted to hear. I didn’t respond until after several deep breaths. Yet another chess move that put my family in check. The loss of Heinrich Rainer could make our precarious house of cards wobble and perhaps topple. Vlad ?epe?, or Dracula as the humans called him, would be pleased with this new development. He was our number one enemy and wanted nothing more than to destroy our empire.

I sat taller in my chair. “Any idea who’s behind it? And who’s taken charge of Berlin now?”

“Leon Miller,” he said with a grimace. “Seems like the Wolf King’s allies might be involved, too.”

Trystan Hunter, the Wolf King, was a thorn in my side, a constant threat to my family’s territory in Crescent City. The possibility of his involvement in Heinrich’s death, and what it might mean for our territory, needed immediate attention.

“We can’t rule any of them out?” I pressed, the stakes of our situation growing ever higher.

“No, we can’t,” Enzo confirmed.

I knew the answer, but still asked it as I leaned back in my chair. “Any more news of Vlad?”

Enzo shrugged. “All we know is that he’s here. Hiding in plain sight. He could be anywhere. You really need to watch your back, Angelo. He’s coming for you first.”

I dragged my fingers through my long hair. “Tell me something I don’t know. And Dracula breathing down myneck isn’t our only problem. On that note—do you still have men watching my sister?”

Enzo nodded. “Yes, I assigned three men to watch their place. Dimitri seems to be very protective of her, though. I don’t think?—”

“Keep the men on her,” I said sharply. “Dimitri isn’t as strong as we are.”

Enzo cleared his throat. “He saved your sister twice.”

I gave him a don’t-mess-with-me-glare. “Don’t press me.”

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