Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Angelo

I knelt in the shattered remains of the foyer of Crescent Manor, my arms still wrapped around Serenity's trembling body. My eyes swept over the devastation that surrounded me. It was hard to comprehend the sheer magnitude of the damage Serenity had caused in her grief-stricken rage. Clearly, her abilities were far stronger than I had ever imagined.

Shards of glass littered the floor, glittering like fallen stars in the dim light. Some had briefly embedded themselves in the walls before ricocheting out again, leaving behind jagged holes that gaped like open wounds. The once-pristine hallway floors were now marred by deep cracks that split the planks, as if a giant's fingernail had scratched through the very foundations of the manor .

The furniture lay scattered and broken, a testament to the violence of Serenity's outburst. Coffee tables, end tables, and bookshelves had all been upended, their contents strewn across the floor. Some pieces had survived the onslaught, while others lay shattered beyond repair, their fragmented ruins mixing with the glass and debris.

As I took in the chaotic scene of destruction, my heart tightened with a mixture of sorrow and fear. Sorrow for Serenity's pain, for the loss that had provoked such an extreme reaction. And fear for what this display of power could mean, not just for her, but for the delicate balance that existed between the supernatural factions in New Orleans.

If word got out about the raw, untamed power that coursed through Serenity's veins, I knew she would be hunted for that power—just as I knew, with a fierce certainty, that I would do whatever it took to protect her, even if it meant going to war with the entire city.

Gianna sank down next to me, and fear settled in her eyes as she looked at Serenity. My Nephilim's sobs were heartbreaking as they echoed throughout my home.

Elena was still on the floor, her hands covering her face, crying softly.

"Stay with her, Gianna." I carefully unwound my arms from around Serenity.

Gianna nodded silently, cradling Serenity's head against her shoulder, stroking her hair.

I shook with rage, my fangs lengthening as the primal urge to hunt and to kill surged through my veins. Whoever had done this to Joy, and thereby shattered Serenity's heart into a million pieces, would pay with their life. I would track them down and make them suffer for every single shred of pain they had inflicted.

They would learn the true meaning of terror, the agony of having their still-beating heart ripped from their chest even as they watched. I would paint the streets of New Orleans red with their blood and send a message to anyone who dared to cross the Santi family and harm those under my protection.

I strode over grimly to Joy's motionless body, my hand reaching out to turn her over. When I caught sight of her face, I hissed in surprise, yanking my hand back as if I had been burned. It wasn't Joy lying there, her eyes wide and staring in frozen horror. It was Emily Bastion.

As I stared down at her lifeless body, a sense of dread settled over me like a heavy shroud. This was the fourth woman murdered in the French Quarter, her blood drained and her eyes wide with the horror of her final moments. And once again, the implication was that I was behind it.

I whirled around, my hands grabbing Serenity's shoulders as I shook her hard, trying to break through the haze of grief and shock that consumed her. "Hush, Serenity," I said, my fingers digging into her skin, my brow furrowed in intense concentration and my chest pressing against my pounding heart as I gazed at her, willing her to look at me. "It's not Joy."

Serenity choked back her sobs, confusion swirling in her lovely blue eyes. Her lower lip trembled, and she squeezed my forearm desperately, as if she were trying to anchor herself to reality. "It's not?" she asked, her voice raspy and raw with emotion .

I shook my head, my sense of relief warring with the growing unease in the pit of my stomach. "No."

Gianna gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Oh!"

Serenity stared at the lifeless body of the girl in shock and confusion, her eyes wide. She was transfixed by the gruesome sight, unable to tear her gaze away. "Then…who is it?"

"A girl I knew," I said grimly. "Her name is…was…Emily Bastion."

Lorenzo came rushing down the hallway toward us, his face pale and his eyes wide. "Angelo, what's all this...?" he began, his voice trailing off as he took in the destruction that surrounded us.

"We'll talk later," I said, my tone clipped and harsh. "More importantly, did you find any evidence of who did this?"

Lorenzo shook his head, his expression grim. "Do you know who the girl is, at least?"

"Emily Bastion," I replied shortly, my mind already racing with the implications of this new development.

Serenity looked around, her eyes filling with horror as she truly took in for the first time the shambles that had once been Crescent Manor. The evidence of what she had done, of the power she had unleashed in her grief, hit her like a physical blow.

"Did I...did I do this?" she whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of awe and fear.

"I said later," I snapped, my voice coming out harsher than I intended.

Serenity flinched, cowering as if I had struck her. I felt a pang of guilt, but this was no time for comfort or softness. I had to act fast and contain the situation before it spiraled out of control.

I grabbed Lorenzo by the neck, my fingers tightening around his throat as I pulled him close. "You'll tell no one of this," I growled, my eyes boring into his.

Lorenzo nodded, his face turning purple as he struggled to breathe. "No, sir," he choked out. "Of course not."

I released him abruptly, watching as he staggered back, rubbing his bruised throat. "If you do," I warned, my anger flowing through me like a raging river, "you'll sign your own death warrant."

Serenity had wrapped her arms around her knees and was rocking back and forth, gripped by the shock of what she had done. I didn't have time to comfort her, as much as it killed me. My family's world was falling apart.

Lorenzo cleared his throat, his voice hesitant. "What should we do with the body?—"

Before he could finish his question, sirens began to wail in the distance, growing louder with each passing second. Someone had alerted the authorities about Emily's murder, and I was certain the killer had a hand in it. Word would spread like wildfire throughout the French Quarter, and while I wasn't worried about the police, the thought of King Nico and Costin Tarus finding out sent a chill down my spine. They had made it all too clear what would happen if these murders continued, and I knew that they would stop at nothing to see me and the Santi family brought to our knees.

"You will do nothing with it. I will return momentarily." Without waiting for a response, I grabbed Serenity's wrist, my grip firm but gentle.

Gianna's hand shot out, grabbing my arm. "Angelo, what are you doing?" Her voice was filled with dread.

I broke free of her grasp, my eyes locking with hers. "Saving our family," I said simply.

I lifted Serenity into my arms, cradling her close to my chest as I carried her to my office. She clung tightly to me, her face tucked into my shoulder, and I could feel the rapid flutter of her heartbeat against my skin.

"Angelo, I'm sorry for what I did to Crescent Manor," she whispered, her voice muffled. "I didn't mean to. I...I lost control. I don't know how to handle my power yet." She pulled back, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I promise I'll find a way to fix this place…if I can."

I set her down gently, my hands coming up to cup her face, my thumbs gently brushing away the tears that had begun to fall. I leaned in close, my forehead nearly touching hers, our breath mingling in the space between us. "You can, I know it," I whispered, hoping my words and my gentle touch reassured her in her moment of vulnerability.

I turned away from her, moving to the desk where the Aeternum Stone sat. The sight of it, now almost completely dark, sent a wave of dread washing through me. With its power fading, Dracula, King Nico, and Costin would easily be able to overpower me and my family. It was a fate I refused to accept, and a reality I would do anything to prevent.

I lifted the glass case, my fingers closing around the stone. It pulsed in my hand, but it was only a faint flicker of energy that seemed to grow weaker by the second.

Serenity tilted her head, her eyes narrowing on the stone in confusion. "What is that?" she asked, her voice hesitant.

"This is the Aeternum Stone." I held it out for her to see. "The witches enchanted it with healing powers, and for years, it has protected my family from Dracula's wrath."

She stared at the Stone, her expression skeptical. "Enzo told me he was still alive. I still can't believe the guy from Bram Stoker's book is real."

I shook my head, a mirthless smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Stoker's book was fiction, but Dracula himself is very real. His true name is Vlad ?epe?, and believe me, he is not someone to be trifled with."

Serenity's face was still etched with doubt. "Why are you telling me all this? And what do you mean, protect your family from Dracula's wrath?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Some time ago, Vlad imposed a set of rules on all vampires, to be followed without question. He now believes humans should not be drained against their will, and has decreed that all vampires must swear an oath not to do so in a ceremony called the Obliterictus. "

"And let me guess," Serenity said, her voice tight. "The Santi family hasn't been following these rules."

I met her gaze, my own eyes steely. "We have merely done what we had to do to survive and protect our own. Unfortunately, in doing so, we have made an enemy of Dracula. He sees us as a threat to his power, to the order he has tried to impose on our kind. "

Serenity shook her head, confusion and disbelief on her face. "But why? What could he possibly hope to gain by controlling vampires like this?"

"Power," I said simply. "Vlad's laws are not about morality or compassion. Rather, they are about ensuring that all vampires are beholden to him. Those who defy him, who refuse to participate in the Obliterictus Ceremony and receive a Rose Unaknium Stone…which is not in fact a stone at all, but a drop of Vlad's blood that has crystallized…are branded as his enemies and hunted down without mercy."

I held up the Aeternum Stone, its surface pulsing weakly in the dim light of the office. "This stone is all that stands between us and Dracula's wrath. Without it, we are vulnerable, exposed. And now, with Emily's murder drawing fresh attention to us, I fear Vlad will not hesitate to strike."

Serenity peered closely at me, her arms crossing defensively over her chest. "Angelo, you still haven't told me why you're sharing all this with me."

I held her gaze, my expression solemn. "Because you have the power to save my family, Serenity. Your healing abilities as a Nephilim are the key to restoring the Aeternum Stone, thus protecting us from Dracula's wrath."

She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "So…what? You're just going to use me to ensure that you can go on killing people without suffering the consequences?"

I bristled at the accusation but tried to keep my tone calm. "We don't follow Dracula's rules, Serenity. Blood is what makes us powerful, what allows us to maintain our position as the Santi Mafia. Without it, we would be vulnerable and weak."

Serenity's eyes flashed with anger, her cheeks flushing with indignation. "So is that why you bought me at the auction? Because you thought I had the power to revitalize this stone, to keep your family's murderous ways going strong?"

I flinched at the venom in her words and the raw hurt that simmered beneath the surface. I wanted to deny it all, to tell her that my feelings for her were real and I would never see her as just a means to an end, but I couldn't lie to her. The truth was, I had been drawn to her power from the moment I first laid eyes on her, had seen in her the potential to change everything.

I stepped toward her, needing her to understand. "Serenity, please. It's not that simple. Yes, your power was what first caught my attention, but that's not the only reason I wanted you at my side."

She backed away from me, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "How do I know that, Angelo? How can I trust you, when you've been keeping so much from me? When you've been planning to use me for your own personal gain?"

The words hit me like a speeding train, the truth of them impossible to ignore. I had been so selfish, had put my own needs and desires above hers. And now, with my family's very survival resting on her shoulders, I realized just how much I stood to lose.

"Serenity, I…" I faltered, my breath hitching in my throat as a wave of emotion crashed over me. I took a moment to find the words that were buried deep in my heart. "I never meant to hurt you. I never wanted you to feel like a pawn in so me game. But the truth is, I need you. My family needs you. And I honestly don't know what I would do if I lost you."

The admission hung heavy in the air, a fragile bridge between us. Serenity stared at me, her expression unreadable, and for a moment, I feared I had shattered the trust between us beyond repair. I could see it in her eyes. She thought I was a monster.

Serenity's gaze shifted from me to the stone. "And if I don't use my power on the stone…what happens?"

What indeed? I fought to control the surge of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. I had always prided myself on my strength, on my ability to face any challenge with unwavering, stoic resolve. But in this moment, I felt more vulnerable than I ever had before. My very existence hung in the balance.

I squared my shoulders. "Since I'm the head of the Santi family, Dracula will kill me." The admission felt like sandpaper in my throat, each word scraping against my vocal cords, leaving them raw, and my chest tightened from finally admitting the truth out loud.

I held my breath, waiting for her answer. For centuries, I had held the fate of my family in my hands. Now, it was in hers.