Page 23 of The Curse of Blood and Silenc

As I approached the yacht, Trystan Hunter caught my eye. He leaned over the port side, raising a glass of champagne with unhurried confidence of a predator who knew his prey was trapped. His long blondish-brown hair was pulled up in a man bun, and instead of his usual suit, he wore black denim jeans and boots, and a blue shirt that matched his eyes. The casual attire made my jaw clench. Every detail—from his leisurely pose to his deliberate underdressing—was designed to remind me that he held Serenity’s fate in his hands, and I could do nothing but play by his rules.

Not bothering to put on a suit was another slap in the face, and he knew it. My rope of patience, already worn thin from the past twenty-four hours, began to fray and snap. I pulled back my upper lip, revealing razor sharp fangs that would like nothing better than to sink into his flesh and drain him dry. A savage sound tore from my throat as my inner monster stirred.

Beside me Enzo tensed, his hand drifting to the Void Chain. On my other side, Dimitri’s smirk had vanished entirely, and for once, he kept his mouth shut. Even he could feel how close I was to snapping.

Lorcan turned around as if he sensed my anger. “Keir had a concern you’d have a problem keeping your cool, Santi.” He snapped his fingers.

Three harpies burst from the port side of the yacht, their human faces twisted into cruel smiles above their eagle bodies—some of Keir’s Elder Dimension pets. My fangs dropped as one swooped close enough for me to see the poison gleaming on its talons, but I forced myself to hold my ground even as every predatory instinct screamed to strike. Leave it to the Unseelieking to bring creatures whose smallest scratch could reduce even me to ash. One wrong move, and all my power would mean nothing.

“That’s…not something you see every day,” Dimitri murmured, the amusement in his voice forced.

Lorcan grinned, and there was nothing human in it. “Just a little insurance. There will be no war on this ship.” He inclined his head. “Come. My king awaits you.”

Three harpies. Three of us. My eyes narrowed as I did the math. Was this a coincidence, or were we walking into a trap? Enzo had the Void Chain, but was it strong enough to take down a harpy? Three harpies? My gaze drifted to Trystan, still watching us with that infuriating smirk, then back to the deadly creatures circling above. One wrong move and this peaceful meeting could turn into a bloodbath. Still…

Serenity was worth the risk.

Chapter

Twelve

Angelo

Lorcan ledus up onto the deck of Keir’s yacht, but I barely registered the luxurious polished teak beneath my feet. Every shadow, every cabin could be hiding Serenity. The vessel’s vast expanse of glass and steel spread across two decks meant countless places to conceal a captive.

My eyes swept past the ostentatious outdoor bar and plush loungers, focusing instead on the multiple staircases leading below deck. How many rooms were down there? Which one might hold her? So close, and yet so unreachable.

The upper deck offered clear views through several cabin windows, but heavy curtains blocked my view into others. Each covered window felt like another taunt. Even Keir’s renowned stateroom, with its mahogany panels and floor-to-ceiling windows, drew my interest only for the hidden spaces it might have. Somewhere in this floating palace, Serenity could be trapped, waiting. Every locked door I passed felt like another barrier between us.

Lorcan opened the door. Trystan and his top two enforcers, Stark Winters and Gage Bray, were already seated at the table. Trystan stared at me with an open challenge in his gaze, his blue eyes turning amber, holding all the menace of a wolf about to strike. If he wanted a fight right here, I was ready to paint this yacht with his blood.

Keir sat at the head of the table, appearing every inch the neutral mediator in his custom-tailored suit, but I knew better. No one survived as long as Keir had by being truly neutral. He stood and gestured to three seats opposite of Trystan and his men, his smile cool. “Good evening, Angelo. Enzo, Dimitri—please have a seat.”

His gaze lingered on Dimitri, taking in the mottled bruises that purpled his face and disappeared into his collar with the calculated interest of a hunter noting its prey’s weakness. The silent question of where he had received the wounds stretched between us like a thread about to snap.

“I see you brought some birdies from the Elder Dimension.” My fingers traced the crystal glass in front of me, refusing to give Keir the satisfaction of seeing my unease about the creatures circling outside.

Keir leaned back in his chair, the picture of casual power. “Merely an added precaution. The harpies will patrol the outside to ensure that no one breaks the deal by calling in more men. My yacht will move into the middle of the river as another precaution.”

I took my seat with deliberate casualness, though every muscle was tense and ready for action. Enzo flanked me, placing his fists on the polished table with the Void Chain wrapped around one hand—a not-so-subtle reminder of what we were capable of.

Trystan cocked an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair with feigned relaxation, a smirk playing over his lips. He turned toKeir, who offered only a slight shrug in return. The gesture spoke volumes.

Keir’s gaze slid between Trystan and me, cold calculation behind his diplomatic facade. “It’s come to my attention that there is a possible war brewing between the vampires and the wolves. This would jeopardize our way of life and draw unwanted attention from the humans.” His tone held false gentleness.

“I’m not the one who wants a war,” Trystan blurted, a growl in his words like distant thunder.

“Really?” Dimitri drawled from his seat, touching his split lip with exaggerated care. “Because framing me for kidnapping… That’s a bit desperate, even for you.”

I glared at the wolf king, my fingers digging into the chair’s upholstery until the fabric threatened to tear. The scent of his lies made my fangs ache. “If you didn’t want war, you shouldn’t have stolen Serenity.”

There was a flash of genuine confusion in his expression that made my dead heart stutter. “Are you serious? I didn’t steal her.” His lips curled into a surprised smile. “Oh, my… Are you saying you lost her?”

“I didn’tloseher,” I snarled, my voice dropping to a register that made the crystal decanters vibrate. “She was kidnapped.” I snapped my fingers, the sound sharp as a gunshot. “Enzo.”

Enzo reached into his jacket and pulled out the letter. He handed it to Keir, who scanned the words with eyes that had seen centuries of deception. His gaze flicked to me. This wasn’t going to go well for Trystan. Stealing mates crossed the line in our world—it was an offense that had started wars and toppled kingdoms.

The letter passed from Keir’s hands to Gage, who delivered it in turn to Trystan. Trystan’s brows furrowed as he read, his facedarkening like storm clouds gathering. With deliberate care, he placed the letter on the polished table. “I didn’t write this.”

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