Page 66 of Crown of Blood and Vengeance

Chapter

Thirty-Seven

Angelo

Serenity sat up slowly,the sheets wrapped around her like a protective cocoon. Every movement reminded me how close I’d come to losing her forever. Hell’s corruption had left invisible scars on both of us, but having her here, safe in my bed, made the demon in me purr with satisfaction.

“Get dressed,” I managed, though the words felt like gravel in my throat. Part of me wanted to keep her here forever, shielded from the world that had tried to steal her from me.

She emerged from the blankets with that otherworldly grace that marked her Nephilim heritage. My body responded instantly to the sight of her, but it was more than mere desire. Every mark I’d left on her alabaster skin was a reminder—she was here, she was real, she was mine. The protective instincts that had driven me to tear through hell itself to find her surged anew.

The vampire mafia king in me was used to possessing things, but this was different. Serenity wasn’t a possession—she was mysalvation. And I would burn down heaven and hell all over again before I let anyone take her from me again.

Power thrummed through my veins as I strode to the closet, throwing the doors open with more force than necessary. Magic rippled through the air like heat waves, and suddenly the space was filled with shimmering fabrics—delicate shirts, flowing dresses, sleek black jeans, and perfectly tailored pants, all sized for a woman. My woman.

“Check the drawers.” I gritted my teeth as I tried to restrain the hunger for her. “I’m sure there’re undergarments just your size.”

She approached cautiously, her Nephilim aura creating subtle patterns in the enchanted air around her. When she pulled out a pair of lacy black underwear, my control nearly snapped. The primal part of me already imagined shredding them with my fangs.

“Why would Keir have all this women’s clothing?” Her question was innocent, but there was nothing innocent about the way she slipped on the matching lacy bra, the dark fabric a stark contrast against her light skin.

I leaned against the door, my eyes feasting on every graceful movement as she dressed, though nothing could compare to the intoxicating memory of watching her undress. The scent of her skin lingered in the air, making my fangs ache. “Keir’s an Unseelie and possesses magic.” I motioned with my hand, feeling the dark energy ripple through the room as the shadows danced in response. “This is just a little sample of what he can do.”

If she knew what he was really capable of—the darkness he commanded, the blood on his hands—she might look at his clothes with the same loathing as she had for Balthazar’s cursed gifts.

She pulled out a pair of black jeans and a long red tunic, the color reminding me of freshly spilled blood. Her fingers traced the fabric reverently. “You make it sound so ordinary. I never knew that about the Unseelie.”

Enzo’s rapid knocking shattered the moment, his urgency palpable even through the heavy door. “Angelo, are you coming?”

I growled at the interruption, reluctantly swinging the door open with more force than necessary, my irritation bleeding through.

He wasn’t alone. Dimitri paced the hallway like a caged tiger, his movements sharp and predatory. The tension rolling off him made my own instincts surge to the surface.

“Petar sent a message.” Enzo’s voice was grim as he handed me a heart-shaped locket. My dead heart clenched—Gianna’s locket. Inside was the picture of our parents, a gift I’d given her for her birthday. The metal was still warm, as if it had been recently torn from her neck.

The sight of it dangling from my fingers sent rage coursing through my veins. First hell had tried to take Serenity, and now Petar dared to threaten my sister. Someone was going to pay dearly for this.

Dimitri stopped pacing, a low, feral sound escaping him—the kind of noise that reminded everyone why he was one of the most feared vampires in our world.

“If he’s hurt her...” The walls around us groaned as his power leaked out, dark and suffocating. His hand reached for the locket, fingers trembling as they brushed the metal that had rested against his mate’s skin.

For a moment, raw anguish flickered across his features before being replaced by lethal determination. He was losing control, but I understood that look. I could barely contain myself when Serenity had been stolen from me.

My gaze locked on Enzo, dread coiling in my gut even as I asked, “What’s the message?” The words burned my lips like hot coals—I already knew what was coming.

“Come to St. Louis Cathedral alone tonight at midnight, or she dies.”

“Lumina Glade?” Ice shot through my veins as memories of my last visit there flooded back—the torture, the pain, the fear for Serenity. A curse slipped through my clenched teeth.

“What’s wrong?” Serenity’s frown deepened, concern radiating from her. The shadows of hell still lingered in her eyes, making my protective instincts surge.

Keir and Vlad appeared in the hallway, and my jaw tightened at what I had to do. The bitter words stained my lips. “You stay with Keir.”

Determination hardened Serenity’s features as she squared her shoulders, her Nephilim powers flickering around her like a halo, casting shadows that danced across the walls. “When we’ve been separated, Angelo, that is when our enemies pull us apart—literally.” She clasped my hand, her warms fingers sending electricity through my cold skin. “We need to do this together.”

I pulled her closer to me, my arm snaking around her waist possessively. Her body fit against mine perfectly, a reminder of everything I stood to lose again. My grip tightened fractionally, betraying the fear I fought to hide.

“I’m not letting you anywhere near that place.”

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