Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Angelo

I stroked Serenity's hair, my hand shaking with fury. My blood boiled with anger as I thought about the intruder who had not only murdered one of my best men, but also had threatened Serenity by his very presence. Crescent Manor had only been breached once. No one had ever dared to violate my family's home.

I was the Angel of Death, and this would not go unpunished.

No one would ever threaten Serenity in my presence—she was mine to protect and cherish, and whoever dared to cross that line would face my wrath. Like Vlad had done in 1462 to keep his enemies from pursuing him, I'd drop them down on a stake, make them suffer, and watch their body slowly writhe in pain as they slipped further down the pole in perfect agony.

"Petar, search the grounds. If you find the intruder, bring him to me."

Petar bowed slightly. "Yes, sir." This was a job I would usually assign to Enzo, but he wasn't at full capacity yet, and I had no intention of losing him too.

I turned to my sister's husband. "Dimitri, set up stakes in the courtyard. People will see what will happen if they cross swords with me." The intruder would wish he'd never been born once I was through with him.

Dimitri nodded, flashing his fangs. "It will be my pleasure."

I flashed him an evil smile. Sometimes my brother-in-law's thirst for vengeance ran as deep as my own.

Serenity looked at me with tears glistening in her eyes. "Stakes?"

I didn't answer her. She'd find out soon enough.

"And Dimitri, before you do that, have Gianna and Elena brought into the dining room."

I had to get Serenity away from the ghastly scene. She buried her face into the crook of my neck, her blonde hair shielding poor Jacques from her view. I lifted her into my arms and carried her back into the dining room.

A guard brought a sobbing Elena into the room directly after us, and she collapsed into a chair. She put her head down on the table, still weeping.

Dimitri helped Gianna into a chair and kissed her on the lips. "Stay here, my love. "

She looked up at him and smiled weakly. "I can protect myself."

"I know you can." He brushed his finger down her wet cheek. "But let me be the one to do it." The statement was more for me than my sister, I thought. He was still trying to prove that he was worthy of being in the family. It did win him a small appreciative nod from me.

My sister glowered at me, but I wasn't going to get into another debate with her over Dimitri.

I stared into Enzo's cold amber eyes as he stood by my side. "Stay here with Elena, Serenity, and Gianna," I growled through gritted teeth.

He hesitated for only a moment, then nodded quickly. "Yes, sir. I'll protect them with my life."

I was sure that Enzo would be able to handle anyone who came near the three women, but as I turned to leave, Serenity reached out and touched my arm, her tearstained eyes filled with fear and confusion. "You're leaving me?" Her voice cracked with emotion.

My heart caught in my threat. Did she care for me even though I had fed on her? Regardless, I would take whatever acceptance or encouragement I could get from her.

I took a deep breath and clasped her shoulders firmly. "I promise I will return. You'll be safe here with Enzo. My family was attacked, Serenity. And I am the head of the family. The Angel of Death cannot let this attack on us go unpunished."

She winced at my words, but it was important for her to know who I was and what I was truly capable of. I needed her to know how far I would go to protect what's mine— including her. More tears fell down her cheeks, and in that moment, I realized how innocent she was and how much I had forgotten about innocence in my line of work.

It took everything I had to leave her, but I had to find out who had murdered Jacques. I went to my office and grabbed my sword, which was deadly to supernaturals, and strapped it in its sheath around my waist. Then I headed out into the courtyard where one of my men was cleaning up the blood. Jacques' body had already been moved and would be burned in a vampire warrior's funeral.

But not tonight. Tonight was about avenging his death.

Petar landed next to me and shifted back from his bat. "We searched the streets but didn't find anyone suspicious."

"Keep trying. I want answers. We'll go to Simon's now. Be prepared for an ambush."

I shifted into a bat and flew high over the courtyard toward Simon's. This time, he would pay with his life. He had to be the one behind this.

I soared through the night sky until Simon's Ravenwood Estates came into view. Fog enveloped the sprawling property, the ethereal mist creating an otherworldly cloak of mystery. From above, I noted grimly that the fog would provide a perfect cover for any ambush that might be waiting for me. It was a thick blanket of silence and secrets, shrouding the sanctuary in an eerie atmosphere. The rolling mist, creeping in from the surrounding bayou, blurred the lines between the meticulously manicured gardens and the wild, untamed beauty of the nearby swamp. The grandiose mansion came looming out of the fog like a nightmare, its presence unsettling and foreboding. With each flap of my wings, I couldn't shake the feeling that this fog had something almost magical about it—as if Simon's witch had created an impenetrable veil.

Ancient oaks draped with Spanish moss came into view, their twisted forms adding to the eerie ambiance. Despite being muffled by the dense fog, I could hear the faint sounds of wildlife below, emphasizing the isolation of this place where reality and superstition blended together seamlessly. I searched for traces of wolves or dark Fae but couldn't detect anything—perhaps magic was concealing their presence from me.

I saw that the window I had jumped through had been repaired.

Too bad.

I dove toward it and burst through the windowpane, sending glass spraying into the bedroom. A man and woman in the bed screamed in terror. I glanced at the man and grinned. I recognized him. He was Dan Jenkins, one of Simon's enforcers.

Dan sprang out of the plush bed naked, scrambling for his gun on the dresser. I lunged forward, getting my steely grip around his throat before he could even lift his weapon. His eyes bulged in terror as I tightened my grip, his windpipe shattering beneath my inhuman power.

With a swift yank, I tore out his throat and savored the metallic taste of his warm blood as it spilled onto my lips and down my chin. It was nothing compared to Serenity's unique essence, but it still fueled my hunger.

The woman had fled to the corner where she shrieked and thrashed against the wall, her wild screams piercing through the air like a siren. But I paid her no mind. She was just another meal to come later.

Just then, Simon burst into the room with some of his lackeys. I hurled Dan's lifeless body at their feet, relishing the terror etched across Simon's face as he took in the scene before him.

"Don't hurt me," he begged, his voice trembling with fear.

"Don't make me." He had something I wanted—answers. And he would either give them willingly or suffer unimaginable pain at my hands.

I crashed through his circle of pitiful men like they were bowling pins, knocking them down. Their screams were drowned out by the sound of my raging heart. I easily caught him up and held him with one hand, his arms and legs flailing. "Marsha," he squeaked.

I doubted the witch could hear him, and even if she did, I didn't care. I had learned something. Her magic wasn't as strong as everybody thought it was. Not only that, Serenity had the power to rejuvenate the Aeternum Stone, and Simon had made the deadly mistake of declaring war on me.

"I want answers, Simon, and I want them now."

My grip tightened on his throat. His eyes bulged from his head and sweat streaked down his face.

"Anything, your grace, anything. Just, please, don't kill me."

I dropped him to the ground in a heap and circled him slowly, like a predator stalking its prey. "Who gave the order for the hit on Crescent Manor? "

Simon squirmed like a worm trying to escape, his lips trembling as he spoke. "I…I don't know."

" Don't know? Do you think I won't use compulsion on you? I will find out everything you know. And if I discover that you're lying to me, I'll cut out your black heart with my teeth…slowly." I let the threat hang in the air as I leaned in closer.

His eyes begged for mercy. I could smell the fear emanating from him, mixed with the stench of stale sweat and betrayal. "It wasn't us. I swear. We wouldn't dare betray you, my king." His words meant nothing to me. I knew Simon would sell his own mother to get a pretty piece of coin, and Serenity was priceless.

"Talk, Simon." I edged closer.

He cowered against the wall, his hands shaking in front of his face. "I've heard things…"

"What things?"

"There's been talk about plots…revenge…angels. But angels…they're just a myth."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Humans were so na?ve to think that vampires, wolf shifters, dark Fae, and other supernatural creatures were just myths, when here we were, lurking in the shadows, ruling over them like gods.

I grabbed his hair and lifted him clean off the floor, his feet dangling in the air. "What kind of angels?" The question tore from my throat, my lips curling back to bare my teeth, revealing the true monster that I was.

He writhed in my grasp, his body drooping, as if all the fight had left him and he was accepting of his fate. "There have been rumors of a fallen angel among us…" His voice trailed off as he saw my fangs descend.

But before I could strike, he forced out a bombshell. "It's the girl…Serenity! They say she's the fallen angel."

"You're trying my patience, Simon." I brought my head closer and tilted my neck, baring my fangs as if I were about to feed on him.

"Wait, wait! I know somebody…they might know who ordered the hit. I swear it wasn't me." He burst into tears. "I swear it wasn't. Please forgive me. I'll do anything…just…Please don't kill me."

I shook him hard. "Tell me who it is. I need answers. If you lie to me, I'll know."

Through rattling teeth, he blurted, "Her stepfather—Freddie Evans. He's the one who sold her to me, to pay off his debt."

A wave of rage surged through me. Her stepfather was supposed to protect her, not sell her to cover his own fucking hide. Before I paid Freddie Evans a visit, I rapidly but thoroughly searched Simon's mind. His lips parted in a silent gasp, his gaze growing distant and unfocused as I sifted through his memories, plucking out essential details.

The snake hadn't been lying to me.

So I would let him live…for now. I didn't want his damn witch casting a spell on the Aeternum Stone. I tossed him aside, sobbing and crying, curled up in a ball.

Dimitri was waiting for me at the stairs. His chin was just as bloody as mine. Simon's men had had their throats ripped out and were scattered like drained husks. Dan's girl was still in the corner sobbing as Petar approached her .

"No. Leave her be," I ordered.

The naked girl looked at me as if she couldn't believe I had protected her. But I had no intention of going to war with King Nico and Costin, and yet another dead girl would sign my death warrant.

Petar stopped immediately. No one disobeyed me unless they wanted to end up like one of the bloody corpses piled in the room.

Dimitri quirked an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Well, well. Look at you, playing the hero. Should I start calling you Saint Angelo?" His tone turned mockingly serious. "Or wait, is this some new strategy? ‘Save the naked girls, avoid the wars'? Because I've got to say, I like it better than our usual ‘kill first, ask questions never' approach."

"Listen up." I scanned my men. "We have another visit to make. Follow me." I leaped out the window and shifted into a bat. As I flew over the bayou and then through New Orleans' dark streets, my blood boiled with rage and a thirst for revenge. Freddie Evans had dared to hurt Serenity, and now he would not live to see another sunrise.