Page 21 of Crown of Blood and Vengeance

“I take it there’s going to be quite an audience.” I kept my voice level, though rage simmered beneath the surface.

“Yes, all three kings have been invited. They will pledge their acceptance of Petar as the new vampire mafia king.” He practically purred the words, savoring each one.

I crossed my arms, chains clinking with the movement. “Surely that’s not the only reason.”

“No. Petar will accept mine and Balthazar’s decrees.”

I stilled at that name, my entire body tensing before I could control the reaction. “Balthazar will be present?”

“No, your precious little Nephilim won’t be there.” His smile turned cruel, knowing he’d struck a nerve. “She’s far too busy in hell for such earthly matters.”

I lunged for him, only to slam into the bars that burned me. I bounced back, the scent of my own seared skin filling the air. “Bastard.”

“But I have another surprise for you.” His voice dropped to a silky whisper. “You won’t be the only one to die today.”

My stomach clenched. Someone else who had refused to bow to Petar. But who? Enzo? Dimitri? Elena? Gianna? My mind raced through possibilities, each worse than the last.

“Who?”

“He’ll be lucky. His death will be quick compared to yours.” Vlad’s eyes glittered with malicious delight.

Relief flickered through me for a heartbeat—at least it wasn’t Elena or Gianna. But that relief crumbled like sand through my fingers. Another brother would burn. My gut twisted as I wondered which of my friends I’d have to watch die with me.

Or was he lying? Vlad was possessed by a demon. Truth burned their tongues like holy water. They couldn’t help but twist everything into deceit.

“Tell me who.” My voice came out rougher than I intended, betraying my concern.

He laughed, the sound echoing off the stone walls. “And ruin the surprise? I think not.” He turned to leave, then paused at the cell door. “Get ready, King. Your reign is about to end.”

Chapter

Eleven

Serenity

I struggledagainst Julienne’s grip, my muscles screaming in protest as her vampire strength rendered me helpless. Each futile twist sent waves of despair through my chest—I had just betrayed everyone by cloaking Steve. The image of Enzo’s unsuspecting face flashed through my mind, making bile rise in my throat. Angelo’s brother in everything but blood, about to die because of me.

“You set me up,” I choked out, my voice raw with betrayal. “Every time I think you’ve hit rock bottom, you find a way to dig deeper.” The words tasted like ash in my mouth.

Triumph flickered across Balthazar’s face, his demon eyes gleaming with predatory pleasure. “So you have feelings for Enzo?” He circled closer, each step deliberate. “Does Angelo know?”

I panted hard, anger and pain coursing through my veins like poison. My Nephilim heritage burned beneath my skin, useless against Julienne’s ancient strength. The fires of hell roared in the distance, a mirror to the turmoil tearing me apart inside.

I gritted my teeth. “Why do you want Enzo dead?”

He shrugged, the casual gesture a cruel trivialization of the lives he was destroying. “I actually don’t. Maximo Barone does. He has no intention of handing over Joy.”

“He has Joy?” The name punched through me like a blade of ice, freezing my heart mid-beat. My blood turned to slush in my veins as Angelo’s warnings echoed in my mind. Maximo Barone—the human trafficker. The monster who treated people like merchandise. I thought of all the horrible movies I had seen, the ones that gave me nightmares for weeks—young girls disappearing into shipping containers, screaming faces behind soundproof glass, dead eyes staring from photos. But those were just movies, actors who went home at the end of the day.

Joy was facing the real thing. My Joy who cried at sad commercials and always rescued spiders instead of killing them, who’d held my hand through the night after every panic attack since elementary school. The reality of what could happen to her clawed at my sanity like a rabid animal. “Is he… is he going to sell her?”

“He wanted to,” Balthazar’s words dripped with calculated indifference, “but I talked him out of it.” His lips curved into a knife-sharp smile. “As long as you do as I want, he won’t. But if you disobey me…” He leaned closer, his breath hot against my ear. “Well, you’ll never see your best friend again and you’ll condemn her to a lifetime of hell. The things Barone’s clients do to their ‘purchases’…they make demons look merciful.”

I sagged against Julienne’s grip as if Balthazar had wrapped an iron chain around my neck and yanked it with brutal force. Joy’s face flashed through my mind—her bright laugh, her fierce loyalty. My best friend since childhood, now a bargaining chip in this demon’s game. The weight of responsibility crushed against my chest until I could barely breathe. A moment’s hesitation and I’d condemn her to a fate worse than death.

“Now, I just wanted to let you know that I have been invited to the execution, so I don’t want to be late.” His words shot through me like bullets shredding my heart.

NoNoNoNoNo

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