Page 60 of The Curse of Blood and Silenc

I stared keenly at Dimitri. “He might not be the only one that Balthazar plans to force to open the crypt. When was the last time you spoke to your brother or sister-in-law?”

The bourbon glass froze halfway to his lips. For the first time tonight, Dimitri’s carefully crafted mask of sarcasm slipped. His fingers flew over the phone keys as he dialed his brother. Each unanswered ring chipped away at his composure. “Come on, Val, pick up the damn phone.” He tried another number, then cursed. “They’re not answering. Not Rose, not Valentin.”

This wasn’t what I wanted. Balthazar was one step ahead of us, building his arsenal. If he couldn’t use Gage to get into the crypts, he had a plan B while we were still trying to form a plan A.

I looked at his stricken face. “Balthazar has them.”

“Balthazar won’t just kill them.” Keir’s quiet words fell like stones in the silence. “He’ll break them piece by piece until they give him what he wants. He knows exactly how much pain a vampire can take before their mind shatters, and witches...” He let the implication hang in the air. “He’ll use one to break the other.”

“No. Neither of them would cooperate,” Dimitri snarled, but the fear in his eyes betrayed him. His hand clenched the phone so hard he cracked the screen. “Val’s too stubborn and Rose would rather die than—” He stopped, the implications hitting him.

I understood his terror all too well. I didn’t know Rose and Valentin well, but they had fought Balthazar before. This would be sweet revenge for the demon prince. Balthazar didn’t just kill his enemies—he made examples of them. He’d force Valentin to watch Rose suffer, or Rose to watch Valentin break. The demon would weaponize their love, like he was trying to do with Serenity and me.

“Think about it, Dimitri. He would threaten to kill one of them to force the other one to do his bidding.”

Dimitri went absolutely still as the words hit home. Then his composure shattered.

“Well, isn’t this just perfect.” Dimitri’s laugh was pure venom as he hurled the ruined phone across the room. It shattered against the wall like his composure. “Dear old Dad’s really outdone himself this time. Teaming up with a demon prince? Kidnapping my brother?” He poured another bourbon with shaking hands and downed it in one go. “Don’t worry, Angelo, Petar’s all yours—but I’ll gladly help make his last moments memorable. Nothing says goodbye quite like a family reunion from hell.”

My vision turned red. But I couldn’t let fury cloud my judgment—not with Serenity still recovering upstairs, not with her powers likely being what Balthazar really wanted all along. Even with the Solomon’s Seal coins warding Crescent Manor, Balthazar was a crafty bastard and might find a way to penetrate the protection spell using someone else.

“Luigi!” I called. When he appeared in the doorway, I fixed him with a lethal stare. “Take Serenity to the spare bedroom. Double the guard.” I grabbed his arm then lowered my voice. “Give her something to help her sleep. No one gets near that bedroom. If Balthazar’s willing to take Valentin and Rose to get into that crypt, he might try for her next.”

The doorbell rang, then Elena came into the living room with Detective Flanagan trailing her like a blood hound. Power erupted through me, turning my vision red. That demon-loving bastard had outmaneuvered me again—using a police detective as his puppet to breach my defenses. I couldn’t touch Flanagan without bringing down the entire department. Rage shook me to the core as I realized how perfectly Balthazar had played this move.

“I’m sorry, Angelo.” She wrung her hands.

Detective Flanagan pushed past her and handed me a piece of paper. “I have a warrant to search your premises for the ring that you claimed was in your safe. If it isn’t there, I can only assume that the one found with Nancee Lane was indeed yours, and I’m placing you under arrest for her murder. Detective DuPont is standing guard outside to prevent anyone from leaving.”

My fangs itched to descend as the trap became crystal clear. DuPont couldn’t cross the wards, but he didn’t need to. He was waiting outside like a spider, ready to snatch anyone trying to escape this web of human law enforcement. And if they arrestedme, Serenity would never let herself stay behind. She’d walk right into Balthazar’s trap, trying to save me.

The demon prince had orchestrated this perfectly. He’d found a way to use my own power against me. One wrong move, one flash of supernatural power, and I’d have the entire New Orleans police force down on my head. And Serenity would be left vulnerable.

Chapter

Thirty-One

Angelo

Every musclein my body coiled tight enough to snap. The paper crumpled in my fist as I fought back the urge to let my power explode, to show this human cop exactly what happened to those who threatened what was mine. But that’s exactly what Balthazar wanted. I forced my voice steady, though my fangs ached to descend.

Three officers entered my home behind Detective Flanagan, their boots tracking human stink across my floors. They wouldn’t find the ring since Petar had obviously stolen it. Not that Flanagan or New Orleans’ finest would believe me.

Detective Flanagan looked between Trystan and Keir, his instincts clearly unsettled by the predatory energy rolling off the wolf king and the otherworldly chill emanating from the Unseelie. “I take it I’m interrupting something important. Why are you three meeting?”

Keir gave him a tight smile as he folded up the map, frost crystallizing on its edges. “Family business.”

Flanagan’s hand drifted toward his gun. “What kind of business?”

Trystan’s lip curled, a low growl threading through his words. “The kind that doesn’t concern human law enforcement.” His eyes flicked to me, heavy with meaning. “Detective Flanagan was just leaving.”

Flanagan puffed up his chest. “You will tell me what this is about. I’m conducting a murder investigation and I’m beginning to suspect that all three of you are involved somehow.”

I bit back a smirk. If he knew the full truth—what really prowled the streets of New Orleans and what kind of creatures he was threatening right now—he would crawl back to the precinct on his belly and hide under his desk.

I looked at Trystan. “Go check out DuPont.”

Flanagan reached for his gun as Trystan headed for the door, but I was already there, my fingers locked around his wrist like steel bands. The bones beneath my grip felt delicate as bird wings. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Detective.”

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