Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Angelo

Two hours later, Serenity lay next to me, still fast asleep, in the very bed that had unleashed her powers. I wouldn't make love to her again, though, not unless she wanted it.

The moonlight shone on her angelic face, revealing cheeks wet with tears.

I raised my hand to touch her, wanting to tell her that our bonding had changed me too, but I couldn't find the words and lowered my hand again.

In all my centuries as a vampire, I had never experienced a connection so profound, so deep, so all-consuming. Love had escaped me ever since Vlad had turned me. But her trust, her surrender, and her unwavering devotion had touched something deep within me and reawakened a part of my soul I had thought was long dead .

I lay back on my pillow and stared up at the ceiling. The raw power that had surged through her during our mating had truly shocked me—the electric current that had passed between us in the moment my fangs grazed her skin, unleashing a force that seemed to come from the very essence of her being. When the room had come alive with swirling objects and crackling energy, I knew I was witnessing the awakening of her true potential, the full manifestation of her Nephilim heritage.

I knew Serenity was special the first time I touched her, but to feel the sheer magnitude of her power intertwined with my own, to experience it firsthand, had been glorious. She had shared something special with me and sparked something in me, and it had knocked down the walls I had kept around me for so long.

I got out of bed and grabbed my robe off a chair, moving slowly so as not to disturb her. I retrieved a bottle of red wine from the bar and poured myself a drink, then stepped out onto my balcony. Dawn wasn't too far away, but the night's energy still pulsed in the streets below.

Bourbon Street was alive with activity, even at this late hour. Neon signs flickered and buzzed, casting a kaleidoscope of colors over the faces of the revelers who crowded the sidewalks. Music spilled from the open doors of bars and clubs, a cacophony of jazz, blues, and rock that blended together in a chaotic melody.

Groups of drunken friends stumbled along, their laughter and chatter rising above the din, while street performers entertained the masses with their talents. A man juggled flaming batons, his deft movements drawing cheers and applause from the assembled crowd. Further down the street, a woman's voice soared above the sound of a saxophone, her soulful lyrics telling of love and heartbreak.

The air hung heavy with the scent of alcohol, cigarette smoke, and the spicy aroma of Cajun cuisine wafting from the restaurants that lined the street. Despite the lateness of the hour, vendors still hawked their wares, offering everything from colorful beads to voodoo dolls to gator-tooth necklaces.

As I sipped my wine, I felt a certain sense of kinship with these night owls of Bourbon Street. Like them, I was a creature of the darkness, thriving in the shadows and the secrets they held. I was old enough and powerful enough that the impending dawn held no sway over me, and I relished the knowledge that I could linger here and watch the world pass by long after the sun had risen and the humans had retreated to their beds.

For now, I was content to simply observe, to let the energy of the street wash over me as I drank in the sights, sounds, and sensations of this vibrant, pulsing corner of the city. It was a reminder of the life that still went on beyond the walls of my own existence, a connection to the mortal world I had left behind so long ago.

Someone knocked on my door, the sharp, rapid sound echoing through the room and piercing the tranquil silence. Anger surged through me at the thought of them waking Serenity and disrupting her peace. Using vampire speed, I sped through my bedroom, my bare feet barely touching the cold hardwood floor as I whipped open the door.

Dimitri stood on the other side, a smirk playing on his lips despite the urgency in his eyes. "Well, don't you look cozy. Nice pajamas, by the way. Very... regal."

I took a menacing step toward him, my jaw clenched with barely contained rage. "Then why did you?!" The words tore from my throat as I took a step forward, my hands curled into fists.

His smirk widened. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I interrupt your nightly brooding session? Because we've got a slight apocalypse brewing downstairs, but if you'd rather stay here and perfect your scowl..."

I gritted my teeth. "Don't try my patience, Dimitri. Spit it out."

Dimitri's eyes sparked with a mix of amusement and urgency. "So, good news and bad news. Which do you want first? Oh, who am I kidding - you'll love both."

I raised an eyebrow. "Surprise me."

"Alright. Crimson Stakes decided to spice things up with a kitchen explosion. Don't worry, Enzo played firefighter and saved the day. No crispy vampires on the menu tonight."

"And the bad news?"

Dimitri's smirk widened. "Oh, that was the good news. The bad? We've got a father-son cop duo downstairs. Detective DuPont and his mini-me are demanding an audience with His Royal Vampireness. That's you, by the way."

I sighed. "Fantastic. Another woman murdered?"

"No idea. But I'm betting it's about Joy DuPont. They're getting a bit... testy down there. Might want to hurry before they start flashing their badges at the furniture."

A cold dread settled in the pit of my stomach, mingling with the hot anger that still coursed through my veins. Had she been murdered, with all the clues pointing once again to me and my family? The last thing I needed was a couple of hotheaded humans causing a scene in my home.

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to calm myself. "Tell them I'll be right down."

"Oh sure, I'll just tell the angry cops to sit tight while you finish your beauty routine. Want me to offer them some AB negative while they wait? Maybe a game of charades?"

I opened my eyes and growled.

Dimitri raised his hands in mock surrender, his smirk never faltering. "Alright, alright. I'll tell them you're coming. But if they start a stake-whittling contest in the foyer, that's on you."

He turned and hurried back down the hallway. I closed the door, leaning against it for a moment as I tried to gather my thoughts. I really didn't want to deal with the detective and his son right now, but I knew I couldn't ignore their presence.

With a heavy sigh, I turned back toward the bedroom, my mind already racing with the possible reason for their visit. I could only hope that whatever they wanted, it wouldn't bring more danger or sorrow into Serenity's life. She had already been through so much.

I got dressed in my usual three-piece dark suit with a crisp blue shirt faster than the human eye could blink. During that time, Serenity slept peacefully in our bed. I liked the sound of that—"our bed." Nothing would make me happier than slipping in beside her again, but business came first .

As I headed downstairs to the living room, a sense of unease settled in the pit of my stomach. I had no idea what Detective DuPont and his son wanted, but their unexpected visit at this hour could only mean trouble.

Dimitri was waiting by the double doors to the living room. As I approached, he leaned in with a smirk. "Ready for the Dupont family reunion? I hear they're dying to see you. Well, not literally... yet."

I shot him a warning glare, but he just shrugged and opened the doors for me.

The living room was dimly lit, with only a few lamps casting a muted glow over the plush furniture and elegant décor. The heavy curtains were drawn, blocking out the first hints of dawn that would break over the horizon any minute.

Detective DuPont and the young man with him were pacing back and forth like caged tigers. I had never met the detective's son, but the first thing that struck me was that the young man didn't look anything like DuPont. He was taller, more muscular. He had dark amber-red hair and fierce blue eyes. The look he gave me was one of pure malice, as if he wanted to slit my throat right then and there.

I forced a false smile to my lips. "Detective DuPont, to what do I owe the pleasure of this early morning visit?" I kept my voice calm.

DuPont gritted his teeth. "Where's my daughter, you bastard?"

I studied the two men, taking in the desperation etched into their faces. DuPont's eyes were bloodshot, his hair disheveled as if he'd been running his hands through it repeatedly. The younger man had a determined set to his jaw, and I could see the hatred rolling off him like fiery smoke.

"I don't have your daughter," I said, keeping my tone measured. "And I don't appreciate you coming into my home and slinging around baseless accusations."

DuPont's hand went to his gun. "Baseless? Baseless?! Witnesses saw your enforcer stalking her just before she vanished. You expect me to believe that's a fucking coincidence?"

I resisted the urge to bare my fangs. As much as I wanted to put these insignificant humans in their place, I couldn't afford to escalate the situation.

"No, I expect you to use your head, Detective," I said coolly. "If I had taken your daughter, do you really think I would have left witnesses? And what possible motive could I have for abducting her, anyway?"

DuPont gritted his teeth. "I'm not here as a cop, Santi. I'm here as a father. I'll put a bullet through your heart unless you tell me where she is right now. Did you sell her?"

I squared my shoulders. "You know my lines of business, DuPont. Human trafficking is not one of them."

Steven looked at me frostily. "Not that we know of. But Barone says you were at Simon's and you bought Serenity. Maybe you've discovered that trafficking put lots of cash in your pockets. Or maybe you're looking for leverage against the cops and the other families."

My blood ran cold at the mention of Barone's name, a bitter taste flooding my mouth. I clenched my jaw, my eyes hardening into icy shards of green as the realization of the betrayal sank in. Barone had sold me out. He'd gone to the police with information that could have them descending onto Crescent Manor any moment and taking Serenity from me.

Searing rage exploded through my veins like molten lava. The vein in my temple throbbed, pulsing in time with the furious beat of my heart.

I refused to admit I had Serenity. Instead, my focus shifted to Steven's insidious accusation. With menacing steps, I closed the distance between us until mere inches remained. "I am not a trafficker," came my snarl through clenched teeth, jaw muscles twitching as barely contained rage threatened to spill over. Drawing myself up to full height, I towered over him, daring defiance. "Nor do I have any need for petty leverage. My power is absolute."

Steven opened his mouth to retort, but I cut him off. "Enough. You're not here to debate my family's business practices. You're here to find Joy. And I find it very interesting that you're so quick to point fingers, young man, considering the recent troubles at Crimson Stakes. Tell me, what does your boss know about tonight's fire?"

DuPont winced. Obviously, it pained him greatly to think that his son was a member of the Barone family syndicate.

Steven lifted his chin high, a good soldier defending his commander. "We didn't have anything to do with that."

"Tell me…boy." I drawled out the last word. "Are you in Barone's inner circle?"

"I'm his driver."

I chuckled. "That doesn't exactly make you important, boy. Unless Maximo Barone is in the habit of telling his chauffeur his business."

I ignored the fact that my brother-in-law was my chauffeur and he knew most of my business. That was different.

I watched Steven closely. Hesitation flashed in his eyes, but he kept his jaw clamped tightly shut. I'd definitely hit a nerve though. If the Barone family was behind the attack on my casino, there would be hell to pay.

Even as I considered the possibility of human treachery, a nagging doubt chewed at my mind. The wolves had been my prime suspects, but could I have been wrong all along? Could the humans be playing a longer game than I realized? That didn't feel right, but suddenly I wasn't sure.

"Look, Santi," DuPont said, his voice laced with rage. "I don't care what's going on between you and the Barone family. All I want is my daughter back."

I held DuPont's gaze, letting a hint of my power bleed into my words. "I give you my word, I do not have Joy. But I will find out what Enzo was doing following her."

I wasn't about to tell them Enzo was following Joy under my own orders.

My gaze still focused on them, I tilted my head toward the door. "Dimitri."

Dimitri raced inside. His sudden actions caught even me off guard. In a blur of motion, he disarmed both DuPont and Steven, sending their guns clattering to the floor. The two men stared at their empty hands in shocked disbelief, their faces paling as they realized how easily they'd been overpowered.

Dimitri stepped back, a smirk playing on his lips as he twirled one of the confiscated guns around his finger. "Gentlemen, I hate to break it to you, but you brought guns to a vampire fight. Next time, try holy water. Or better yet, an invitation."

I ran a cool eye over the two men. "And now, I'll use my powers of compulsion on you."

DuPont blinked. "Compulsion? What do you mean?"

I drew on my power, my heart quickening, never taking my gaze off them as I spoke. "You will both sit down on the couches quietly. You will only answer questions when I ask them. You will not remember anything that happened here and will leave no longer believing that I'm responsible for Joy's disappearance."

DuPont and his son's eyes glassed over as they sat on the couch, staring straight ahead.

"Did you have something to do with Joy's disappearance?" a soft female voice asked from behind me.

I turned around to find Serenity standing in the doorway, her delicate face lined with suspicion and concern. The white robe she wore over her nightgown accentuated her ethereal beauty. Her blonde hair was disheveled, making her look even more beautiful. But it was the look in her blue eyes that stopped my heart. She had already convicted me of the crime.