Page 30 of Crown of Blood and Vengeance

He shrugged, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed his casual gesture. “We go to hell and get Serenity and Julienne.” The words dropped like ice into my gut.

He made it sound as easy as pie, his voice steady and controlled, but cold fear crept into my heart. Down there, Balthazar had an army at his command, and I clenched my hands into tight fists. Not to mention the king of hell—Lucifer—would be hiding in the shadows, watching, waiting. A shiver ran through me despite the room’s warmth. Lucifer wouldn’t like anyone penetrating his realm, especially if an archangel could slip inside. The very thought of facing the fallen one made my newly received blood run cold.

“You really think Vlad can open up the gates of hell?” I pushed myself to stand, testing my balance against the bedpost, my legs still unsteady beneath me.

“Yeah, I do.” Angelo paced the length of the room, his boots silent against the wooden floor, predatory grace in every movement.

I ran my hand through my tangled hair, wincing at the dried blood I found there. “What about Joy and Gianna?” My voice cracked on Joy’s name, raw fear clawing at my insides as I imagined what that sadistic bastard Maximo might be doing to her. Each second she remained in his possession felt like another knife in my gut.

“We will get them back too.” He paused by the window, his fingers drumming against the sill in an irregular rhythm that betrayed his restlessness.

My muscles tensed as I took a cautious step forward, trying to push away the images of Joy suffering that threatened to overwhelm me. “And Petar?”

Angelo whirled around, fangs flashing in the dim light, his whole body coiled like a snake ready to strike. “Leave him to me.”

There was a knock at the door. Keir entered, his usual composure marred by subtle signs of stress around his eyes. “We have a slight problem.”

Angelo glared, the temperature in the room seemingly dropping several degrees. “What?”

“Steve DuPont is becoming very difficult.” Keir’s gaze fixed on me and I cringed, my stomach twisting into knots. Shit, Angelo wasn’t going to like this. A newly made vampire was the last thing we needed. My throat went dry as Keir continued, “He’s raging, and even my seasoned warriors are having difficulty controlling him.”

The murderous anger in Angelo shifted to something more calculated, his centuries of experience taking over. “The demon inside him must be powerful. Possibly there’s something in the Nightshade Crypt that could help him as well.”

Keir’s lips curved into a wily smile that made my skin crawl. “I see you haven’t told him.”

Angelo frowned, his expression darkening like storm clouds gathering. “Told me what?”

I sighed miserably, my chest tight with dread. “Steve isn’t possessed. I turned him.” The words felt like ash in my mouth.

Angelo moved faster than my weakened body could track. His hand locked around my throat as he slammed me against the wall, the impact rattling through my bones. “You did what?” His voice was deadly quiet, more terrifying than any shout.

I met his angry eyes, refusing to look away even as his grip tightened. “He was dying…” my voice rasped against his crushing grip, “and Joy begged me to save him.”

He released abruptly. “You fool. You know what it’s like to manage a newly turned vampire, especially with your blood. We don’t have time for this shit.”

Keir looked between us, his ancient eyes taking in the rising tension. “Fight about this later.” His voice carried the weight of urgency. “Unfortunately, Steve has drained all the blood that we have and is demanding more. The hunger in him...” He shook his head, a flicker of genuine concern crossing his usually stoic features. “You’re going to have to feed him or kill him.”

Angelo’s gesture was casual, dismissive, but behind it lay the absolute loyalty of a criminal empire built on blood oaths and buried enemies. “Kill him.” The words fell like an executioner’s axe.

Keir bowed slightly, his movements fluid and graceful despite the gravity of the order. “As you wish.”

“No.” My voice came out ragged, and I cleared my throat, pressing my palm against the cold stone wall for support. My legs trembled beneath me, still weak from my own injuries, but determination burned through my veins hotter than Angelo’s blood. Joy’s face flashed through my mind—the terror in her eyes as our enemies dragged her away; the way she’d screamed her brother’s name before they took her. The memory of her being torn away while I lay wounded and helpless clawed at my insides. I wouldn’t fail her family again.

Not like this.

Angelo moved with preternatural speed, crowding me against the wall. His presence was overwhelming, the air thick with his power and fury. “Are you defying a direct order from me?” Each word dripped with dangerous promise, his eyes blazing with a fire that had terrorized enemies for centuries.

I had never disobeyed Angelo in all the centuries we fought together. Our shared history was intertwined between us like brothers—blood-soaked battlefields, countless victories,the empire we’d built together in New Orleans. Every instinct screamed at me to submit, to bow my head and accept his will as I always had.

But I had never met anyone who stirred my soul like Joy. The thought of her suffering at Maximo’s hands while her brother died here... I couldn’t bear it. I would do anything for her, even defy my king. The vow settled in my chest like a burning coal, terrifying and liberating all at once.

I lifted my chin and prepared to fight my blood brother. “Yes.”

Chapter

Seventeen

Serenity

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