Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

Serenity

I woke up with a start, my eyes struggling to see in the darkness that shrouded the room. The window curtains were drawn tightly, giving me no hint as to the time of day. My throat felt dry as sandpaper, each swallow a painful effort, and an overwhelming weariness had settled deep in my bones, as if the Aeternum Stone had drained every last ounce of energy from my cells.

Usually when I felt tired or depressed, I would call Joy. She had her own magical way of chasing away the grumpy clouds hanging over my head. But I couldn't do that now. My chest tightened as a tear slid down my cheek.

Sudden movement in the shadows caught my attention, and my heart leaped as a pair of glowing red eyes emerged from the darkness .

"Don't be afraid, Serenity. It's me." Angelo's soothing voice cut through the gloom as he sat down on the edge of my bed.

The familiar spicy scent of his cologne washed over me, and I let out a happy sigh of relief. "You're alive," I croaked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He chuckled, the soft sound warming my heart. "Of course I'm alive. Why would you think otherwise?"

I struggled to sit up, my muscles protesting with every movement. My inner thigh muscles were still achy from making love with Angelo. "I…I thought I might have been too late. That Dracula might have…" I trailed off, unable to give voice to the terrible fear that had haunted me.

Angelo's strong arms encircled me, pulling me close to his chest. "Too late? Not at all. You saved me, Serenity. You risked everything to restore the Aeternum Stone to protect me and my family. I will never forget that."

I leaned into him, delighting in his steady heartbeat. "So Dracula's not coming?"

He hesitated, as if he was holding something back.

I put my finger on his tightly closed lips. "No secrets, remember?" I peered at him. "Have you heard anything about Joy?"

He sighed heavily, a soft curse escaping his lips. "No. I am sorry. And I'm afraid I have other worrying news that you need to hear. Costin Tarus, the headmaster of Red Rose Academy, showed up with the police. He claims that Dracula is on his way to New Orleans. Apparently, he's furious about the murdered girls…and he believes I'm responsible. "

I shifted in his arms, tilting my head to look up at him. "But you're not, right? You couldn't be…"

Angelo brushed his lips against my furrowed brow, his touch gentle and reassuring. "No, my little Nephilim. I didn't kill those girls. I may have done many terrible things in my past, but I would never murder innocent women, especially those close to me."

His words plucked at my overly taut heartstrings, making me feel like just another in a long line of lovers. "Close to you? Does that mean what I think it does?"

He hesitated for a moment, his eyes searching mine. "I won't lie to you, Serenity. I had relationships with two of the victims. But they were before I met you, and they both ended long ago."

A sudden pang of jealousy twisted in my gut, catching me off guard. I knew it was irrational to feel this way, given Angelo's long history and the countless years he had lived before meeting me. And yet the idea of him with other women, even in the distant past, made my heart ache.

"How…how long were you with them?" My voice was barely above a whisper.

Angelo pressed a tender kiss to the top of my head, a soft chuckle rumbling in his chest. "Now, is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice, sweet Nephilim?"

"No…" I lied, the scorching rush that engulfed my cheeks betraying my true feelings.

He smiled, his fingers tracing looping, soothing circles on my back. "One of the women worked for me, and the other was a favorite at Simon's club. But they were never anything more than brief dalliances, Serenity. They could never compare to you."

I wanted to ask him exactly what that meant but didn't want to press the issue. Instead, I just nodded, doing my best to push aside the irrational twinge of envy. "I understand. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to?—"

"Shh," he interrupted, tipping my chin up to meet his gaze. "You have nothing to apologize for, Serenity. Your feelings are valid, and I want you to always be honest with me. Yes?"

"Yes." I leaned into his touch, drawing strength from his unwavering support. After a moment I asked, "So…have you found out who is responsible for killing these women?"

"Not yet. I have men working on finding the killer even as we speak." Angelo's voice was low and urgent as he gently turned me to face him. "Serenity, I need you to promise me something."

The gravity in his tone sent a chill down my spine, and I searched his face, trying to interpret the emotions flickering in his eyes. "Anything, Angelo. What is it? What's wrong?"

He took a deep breath, his gaze intense and unwavering. "I've received word that there may be a traitor among us, within our inner circle. You must be careful who you trust, Serenity. Stay close to Elena, Enzo, or Lorenzo, always. And whatever you do, do not share this with Gianna."

His words sent a jolt of fear through me. "Gianna? Why not? She's your sister, Angelo. Surely, we can trust her…"

Angelo's grip on my shoulders tightened, his dark eyes boring into mine with an urgency I had never seen before. " Please, Serenity. Trust me on this. Promise me you'll do as I ask, without question."

The seriousness of his plea left no room for argument, and I found myself nodding in agreement. "I promise I'll be careful, Angelo. And I won't say a word to Gianna."

He pulled me close, his lips brushing against my forehead in a whispery, featherlight kiss. "Thank you, my sweet Nephilim," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I know it's a hard thing to ask, but I need to know you're safe. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you."

I melted into his embrace, my chest tightening at the thought of the dangers that lurked in the shadows and the possibility of losing him.

Angelo was quickly becoming everything to me, and if Dracula was indeed coming, I needed to be at full strength to protect him. Mom had always said that love conquered all. How that applied to someone like Freddie was beyond me, but a sudden desire to forge an unbreakable connection with Angelo consumed me. The last time we had made love, it had unleashed my power. Now that my power had been drained by the Aeternum Stone, I wondered if intimacy could restore what I had lost.

I pulled away from him, my hands trembling as I reached for the hem of my shirt. I hesitated, my fingers clutching the fabric as a sudden wave of uncertainty washed over me. Was I really ready for this again? After everything I'd been through, the thought of being so vulnerable, even with Angelo, sent a flicker of fear through my heart.

But as I met his gaze, I saw love and tenderness shining in his eyes, and I knew that I trusted him completely. He had always been my rock, my safe haven, and I wanted to feel that connection with him now more than ever.

With a deep breath, I steeled my resolve and slowly pulled off my shirt, jeans, bra, and finally my lacy underwear, baring myself to him in every sense of the word.

Angelo's eyes widened in surprise, and he instinctively leaned back a little. "Serenity, what are you doing?"

I straddled his lap, my bare skin pressing against the fabric of his clothing. The contact sent a shiver down my spine as I felt the heat of his body seeping into mine. "I want you, Angelo," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly. "I need to feel something other than pain and fear. I need to feel alive."

He swallowed, his body already responding to my touch even as concern etched his features. "But you've been through so much, and you're still recovering…"

I silenced him with a finger on his lips, my eyes locked on his. "I know," I said softly, my heart pounding in my chest. "I also know that I trust you with every fiber of my being. I want this, Angelo. I want you."

He nodded, his hands skimming along my sides with a reverent touch. "Are you completely sure, Serenity?"

I ground my hips against his in answer, eliciting a low groan from his throat. The friction sent sparks of pleasure careening through my body, igniting a fire in my core that threatened to consume me entirely. My inner thighs still ached with a delicious soreness that reminded me of the passion we had already shared, and I knew that I would gladly bear any discomfort to feel so close to him again.

Leaning forward, I pressed my forehead against his, our breath mingling in the scant space between us. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life, Angelo," I whispered, my voice raw with emotion. "I need you, in every way possible. I need to feel your skin against mine, to be one with you, body and soul."

I punctuated my words with a roll of my hips, gasping as the movement sent another wave of pleasure crashing over me. My hands slid up his chest, feeling the hard planes of muscle beneath my fingertips, before tangling in his hair and tugging gently.

"Make love to me, Angelo," I breathed, my eyes locked on his, blazing with intense desire. "Please. Show me that I'm alive and remind me that I'm yours, now and forever."

His fingers found my breasts, his thumbs brushing over my hardened nipples and sending sparks of pleasure through my body. "You are. Just as I am yours, Nephilim, now and forever." His husky words caressed my skin, making me grow hotter and more anxious for his touch everywhere.