Page 61 of The Curse of Blood and Silenc

“Pol—“ His cry cut off as I caught his gaze. My power surged forward, crystallizing in his mind like frost creeping across a window. I watched his pupils dilate, his mouth go slack as the cold darkness of my will seeped into every corner of his consciousness.

“You found the ring.” Each word dropped like an icicle, sharp and inevitable. “You will leave the premises. Now.”

The three other police officers reached for their guns, but supernatural speed made their movements look like slow motion. Enzo caught the first officer’s wrist in an iron grip, his compulsion already threading through the man’s mind. Dimitri had his target pinned against the wall, moving with the fluid violence of a born predator. Keir’s power manifested in waves of arctic cold, freezing the third officer in place as tendrils of dark fae magic wrapped around him like living shadows.

“I wouldn’t,” Dimitri purred, his casual tone belied by the deadly grip he maintained. “Guns make such a mess, and Elena just had the carpets cleaned.”

I headed over to Enzo’s captive. The officer’s pupils dilated as my power poured into his mind, wiping it clean like a blank slate before I painted new memories across it—the ring, gleaming under evidence lights, case closed. When I released him, he swayed slightly, caught in the web of false memories..

I glanced at Dimitri. “You can let go of him. The compulsion’s complete.”

“Aw, but we were just becoming friends,” Dimitri drawled, releasing his grip on the officer with exaggerated care. “I was about to teach him the finer points of supernatural etiquette. Rule number one: never pull a gun on creatures who can snap you like a twig. It’s just...” He straightened the officer’s collar with mock solicitude, “...bad manners.”

Keir stepped back from his man, frost still crackling in the air around him. “He won’t remember anything or why he was here. Unseelie glamour is...exceptionally thorough.” A cold smile played at his lips as he regarded the officer, who swayed on his feet, eyes glazed with fae magic.

Power exploded through me, making the lights flicker. That demon bastard had orchestrated every detail. The warrant. The kill team. All of it designed to either end with my death or force Serenity to leave the safety of the wards to save me. My fangs descended as centuries of carefully maintained control threatened to snap. Balthazar wasn’t just playing with law enforcement; he was playing with my mate’s heart. Using my death to draw her out.

Tell me,” I snarled, power lacing every word with enough darkness to make even Enzo take a wary step back, “who gave the order?”

Enzo’s gaze flickered between the glazed-eyed officers. “The orders came through headquarters, but...” He shook his head. “The trail goes cold there. Someone made sure to cover their tracks.”

Snarls and growls suddenly erupted outside, followed by human screams that cut off too quickly. I raced to the front door, power crackling around me. The scene that greeted me made even my centuries-old blood run cold.

Snarls and growls erupted outside, followed by human screams that cut off too quickly. I raced to the front door, power crackling around me. The scene that greeted me made even my centuries-old blood run cold.

Trystan had shifted into his wolf form—massive and white as arctic snow, terrible in his fury. His victim lay beneath massive paws, a middle-aged man in an expensive suit now soaked with blood. I recognized him with disgust. Detective Whitehead, one of my most reliable contacts in the police force, a man I’d kept well-paid for decades to look the other way.

The demon’s possession had twisted his familiar features into something inhuman: blackened veins spider-webbing across gray skin, eyes like burnt coals until the last moment. Now his throat was torn out, blood staining Trystan’s pristine fur crimson. Black smoke rose from the corpse, the demon’s essence wailing as it disappeared into the ground, leaving behind the shell of a once-useful ally. The wolf king’s golden eyes blazed with predatory satisfaction, red droplets stark against his white muzzle. But DuPont—the one who mattered, the one who could lead us to Balthazar—was nowhere in sight.

My men had formed a perimeter, keeping curious eyes from witnessing the carnage. But even with all the guards around the house, this was still too public.

Keir stepped in front of me, his Unseelie glamour already permeating the air, hiding both the dead body and Trystan’s massive wolf form from mortal eyes.

“Get inside that hedge and shift back,” I ordered the wolf king. Branches rustled as the massive white form disappeared behind the foliage. A moment later, Trystan’s voice came from behind the thick leaves, tight with fury. “DuPont reeked of demon magic before he fled. But that’s not all.” His hand thrust through the greenery, something silver catching the light. “He left this.”

My throat went tight. Valentin’s pendant, its delicate chains dripping fresh blood.

“Said to tell Dimitri this is just the beginning.” Trystan’s voice hardened. “Balthazar’s only just started with Valentin.”

Keir took the medallion, frost spreading across the silver as he examined it. “There’s old magic in this. Power tied to blood and family bonds.” His eyes gleamed with otherworldly light. “The kind demons love to corrupt.”

Dimitri snatched it out of Keir’s hand. He pulled an identical medallion from within his shirt, murder in his eyes. “Mom gave us these last Christmas. She said it was to celebrate her boys being together again.” His fingers closed around both pendants. “Touching family moment, really. But if Balthazar thinks he can use my baby brother as leverage...” Dark veins crawled beneath his eyes as his power surged. “Well, let’s just say I’ve got some ideas about where to stick this pendant.”

He blurred toward the steps, but I caught Enzo’s eye with a slight nod. He instantly materialized in front of Dimitri, catching him by the throat and lifting him off his feet.

Behind us, Trystan dragged the bloody corpse inside, still naked but focused on the task. My men moved with practiced efficiency—they didn’t need orders for this kind of cleanupanymore. The body would disappear into the bayou’s depths, another secret the swamp would keep for me.

“Get a hold of yourself,” I growled at Dimitri. “You can’t run off half-cocked. That’s exactly what Balthazar wants.”

“Right, because your plans are working out so well.” Dimitri’s voice dripped sarcasm even with Enzo’s hand wrapped around his throat. “Let me guess—you think we should sit around drinking bourbon and strategizing, meanwhile my brother could be bleeding out somewhere. Thanks for the advice, but I think I’ll stick with my plan of immediate, excessive violence.”

My power filled the room like a desert wind, making even Dimitri’s smirk falter. “Your brother’s only alive because Balthazar needs him to be. The moment you rush in without thinking, that changes.” I stepped closer, letting centuries of ruthless authority color my voice. “I’ve spent four hundred years dealing with creatures like him. You want violence? Fine. But it’ll be calculated, precise, and exactly when I say. Or I’ll have Enzo chain you in my interrogation room until this is over.”

Gianna burst into the entryway, her power crackling around her. “What’s going on? Enzo, release him. Now.”

Enzo cocked his eyebrow at her demand as Dimitri smacked at his hand, feet still dangling. He looked to me for orders.

I grabbed Gianna’s arm. “He’s out of control. I won’t have it. Enzo, lock him in the interrogation room until he calms down.”

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