Page 16 of The Curse of Blood and Silenc

And beneath it all, the faintest trace of her perfume. Serenity.

“Angelo,” her voice whispered in my mind, fragile yet determined. “Be safe. I’ll find you. Just know I love you.”

I gasped, the connection breaking and the room snapping back into focus, Dimitri’s heavy breathing distracting me from my racing thoughts.

Gripping the edge of a nearby table laden with instruments of torture, I tried to make sense of what I’d experienced. A limousine. She was definitely in a limousine. But going where? The smells offered no clue as to her location, just the agonizing certainty that she was out there, afraid.

With a roar of frustration, I hurled the instrument table against the wall, sending metal tools clattering to the floor. The crash echoed through the room, doing nothing to quiet the rage inside me. Every vampire instinct screamed to hunt, to tear apart whoever dared touch what was mine.

“What’s happening, boss?” Through my haze of fury, I saw Enzo appearing in my peripheral vision, his stance wary as he blocked the doorway.

“It’s Serenity...” I snarled through clenched fangs. “She’s on the move, in a limousine. But I don’t know where. I can’t fucking find her!”

I broke away from him, then grabbed Dimitri by the throat and hauled him off Gianna’s lap. I shook him hard, making his head flop around like a chicken’s. “Who has her? Tell me your dad’s plan.”

Blood trickled from his split lip as he choked out a laugh. “If I... knew Daddy Dearest’s plans,” he coughed wetly, “...don’t you think...I’d have better things to do...than get tortured by you?”His eyes rolled briefly before focusing again. “Although...this is...rather cozy.”

Despite his battered state, a weak smirk returned. “But hey...if we’re taking bets...my money’s on...Dear Old Dad making a deal with...our doggy friends.” Another painful wheeze. “He always did...want to be king.”

I dropped him on the floor and he crumpled into a ball, his eyes fluttering shut. Gianna pushed herself up from where I’d left her, stumbling as she rushed to close the distance between her and her husband.

“Stop, Angelo, please. You’re going to kill him.” Her voice cracked with desperation, but I barely heard her over the roaring of my blood in my ears.

I stared at Dimitri, trying to decide if he was telling the truth. Either way, the scent of his blood called to the monster inside me, making my fangs ache.

Enzo came up next to me. “Petar wouldn’t be able to take you down without an army, and then Trystan would get his Nephilim prize.”

“Serenity.” Her name tore from my throat like a curse. Fury like I’d never experienced in all my centuries rushed through me, a red miasma clouding my vision. My fingers curled into claws, itching to tear into flesh. My body trembled with barely contained violence, the need for bloodshed thrumming in my veins. The beast inside me howled for retribution, demanding blood for blood.

“This note is Trystan’s declaration of war.” I crushed the paper in my fist, my voice dropping to a guttural snarl barely recognizable as human speech.

The predator inside me was rising, hungry for vengeance.

Chapter

Eight

Angelo

A silenceas heavy as a burial shroud descended over the room at my assessment of Trystan’s note as a declaration of war. Rage flowed through my veins like molten steel, burning away every shred of reason.

“We need to go now.” I lunged toward the door, but Enzo’s grip found my arm, his fingers digging into muscle.

“Boss—wait.”

Something snapped inside me. I whirled around, my vision blurring red at the edges, and slammed him against the wall, my hand crushing his throat. “Don’t. Ever. Argue. With. Me. Enzo.” Each word was filled with venom.

Enzo didn’t flinch. His dark eyes bored into mine, steady despite my grip on his windpipe. In them, I saw not fear, but my own savage desperation reflected back at me. “If you go after him without a plan,” he croaked, “he’ll rip you to pieces.” His face softened with concern. “I can see the grief eating you alive, boss. But charging in blind—that’s exactly what he wants. You know that.”

I narrowed my eyes as I squeezed tighter, feeling his pulse hammering against my palm. “What do you suggest I do instead?” The words came out as a guttural snarl, my teeth clenched so hard my jaw ached.

Enzo’s eyes watered. “Set...up…a...meeting.” Each word was a desperate wheeze.

I stared at him, rage and reason warring within me. Every cell in my body screamed for blood, for immediate vengeance. Serenity’s face flashed through my mind; her smile, now stolen from me. My grip tightened as fury surged anew. I wanted—needed—to rip someone, anyone, apart for daring to take her from me, for thinking they could challenge my crown.

The throne I’d fought to build. The family I’d fought to protect.

“S’il vous plaît.” Elena’s trembling hand pressed against my back, her touch warm, melting my ice-cold fury. “I don’t want to lose you too, Angelo.” Her soft voice cracked, reaching through the red haze of bloodlust and pulling me back from the pit of hell, a lifeline.

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