Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Gianna

Louise and I sat on wicker rocking chairs on her balcony, enjoying the warmth of the sun on our skin as we looked out over the parking lot and well-manicured lawns of Goody Magic Academy. Augustus had rushed off to his classroom to retrieve something, leaving us to enjoy a moment of peace together. The academy stood before us, looking more like a castle than a school, making me feel as though I had been transported back to medieval times. After my run-in with Dimitri and the phone call with my brother, I needed this chance to unwind. I took a sip of bourbon, savoring the spicy liquid as it warmed my throat and eased the tension in my muscles.

It would be heaven to live someplace where no one knew that I was part of the powerful Santi vampire mafia family. Where I could go wherever I pleased without worrying about being jumped or tortured or murdered.

"It's really nice here, Louise," I sighed, sinking further into the comfortable chair.

She nodded, her eyes scanning the grounds. "I know our apartment isn't a patch on Crescent Manor, but Augustus and I love it."

"Crescent Manor is beautiful, but for all that, sometimes it feels like a dungeon," I confessed, my gaze drifting to the distant horizon. "You're lucky, Louise. You and Augustus can live here in peace. I would love to be living away from the center of New Orleans, maybe in the bayou, but Angelo would never allow that, especially not after me getting attacked."

Louise gave me a sympathetic smile, reaching over to pat my hand. "Maybe someday he will."

I laughed bitterly, the sound echoing in the quiet of the balcony. "It's been nearly four hundred years since he turned me into a vampire, Louise. He's never once loosened his protective grip on me."

"Maybe if you got married someday, he would," she suggested, her eyes hopeful.

Marriage definitely wasn't on my agenda. The mere thought of it sent a cold shiver down my spine and had my stomach lurching with a sickening twist. I swallowed hard against the sudden dryness in my mouth, my tongue feeling like sandpaper against my palate.

I couldn't imagine being married to a vampire, someone who would always have me under their thumb, controlling my every move. The idea of being locked up by my husband, same as my brother did, made my skin crawl with revulsion. I held my glass tighter as a suffocating sense of claustrophobia washed over me.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head firmly. "Only if he was a powerful vampire strong enough to take down Dracula, a horde of wolves, and the Hulk. And even then, I'm not sure Angelo would be convinced he would protect me well enough."

"So basically, Angelo thinks he's the only one who can protect you?" Louise mused, her brow furrowed in thought.

"He has for almost four hundred years," I said softly. "It's a hard habit to break. He's even the one who saved me from the wolf attack a couple of days ago."

As the memory of the attack came flooding back, a shudder ran through my body. I could almost feel the wolves' hot breath on my skin, their sharp teeth tearing and ripping at my flesh. I closed my eyes, trying to push the terrifying images from my mind.

Louise clasped my hand, her gentle squeeze pulling me back to the present. "I don't know if I'll ever get over that attack, Louise," I admitted, my voice breaking slightly. "It terrified me. Ever since it happened, I haven't been able to get a good night's sleep."

"That's completely understandable," she said, her eyes filled with sympathy. "I'd have nightmares too if a wolf pack tried to rip me apart."

A movement below caught my eye, and I turned to see Dimitri emerging from Goody Magic, walking with a muscular man with long dark hair and a blonde woman.

I frowned as I studied the couple. A nagging feeling tugged at the back of my mind. "Who's Dimitri with?"

Louise's eyebrows shot up, her eyes widening. "You don't know? Seriously?"

I shook my head, frustration edging my voice. "I swear I've seen them in New Orleans. Who are they?" My fingers drummed against my thigh.

Louise's expression softened. "That's Dimitri's brother, Valentin, and his mate, Rose. They fled here from New Orleans." She paused, eyebrows raised. "You really haven't heard? They took down Rose's father, Grayson Allen. He was planning a coup against King Nico."

I sighed heavily, my shoulders slumping as the shame of my ignorance settled over me. "Angelo keeps everything from me. He thinks I'll crumble if I know the family business." I stiffened and my chest tightened. "Did Angelo have anything to do with that?"

Louise bit her lip, her gaze darting away momentarily. "I'm not sure. The rumor mill says he was a silent partner, but nothing was ever proven."

"That sounds like Angelo," I muttered, a bitter taste filling my mouth. My fingers curled into fists at my sides. "He knows how to abandon a sinking ship and not get burned. Especially if thinks it is a danger to our family."

Rose's striking blonde hair stood out in sharp contrast to the two brothers' dark locks. Valentin shared Dimitri's hair color and eye shape, and both were undeniably handsome. But there was something about Dimitri that drew my gaze, perhaps the alluring confidence in the way he carried himself.

I'd felt a tug of attraction to him, but it had been soon overshadowed by a surge of annoyance. Dimitri's earlier behavior had been unacceptable, his arrogance and bullying tactics leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. I wondered if he was just as controlling of his brother as Angelo was of me.

"He's trouble, all right," I muttered, more to myself than to Louise. "Attractive, but dangerous."

Louise followed my gaze, a knowing smile on her lips. "Hmm. Sometimes, the most dangerous ones are the most tempting."

I shook my head firmly, tearing my eyes away from Dimitri's retreating form. "Maybe, but I've had enough danger to last a lifetime, thank you very much. I don't need any more, especially not from a conceited ass like him."

The glass door opened, and Augustus stepped onto the balcony, pulling my attention from Dimitri. He held a glass flask filled with a mysterious red liquid. "I have something for you, Gianna," he said excitedly. "I believe I have finally perfected the potion to counter the wolfsbane elixir running through your body and preventing you from healing."

I set my bourbon down, my heart racing with anticipation. "Really? What is it?" I asked, leaning forward in my chair.

"It's an ancient potion called Bloodmoon Healing. I found the recipe in one of my books," Augustus said, his eyes shining with pride .

I gazed at the flask, curiosity bubbling up inside me. "What's in it?"

Augustus took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling as he recited: "Moonlight rose petals, dragon's blood resin, essence of nightshade berries, phoenix ashes, silver moonlight water, stardust powder, and elven dew."

"Wow, that's a long list of ingredients," I mumbled, my brow furrowing in concentration.

"It's not quite ready," he said hesitantly, glancing at me before his eyes darted back to the flask. "To complete the potion, I need five drops of your blood. The potion is unique to each vampire."

I stared at the flask, doubt creeping into my mind. My wounds had been deep and vicious, and the pain still lingered in my body. "You really think it will do the trick? I'm almost four hundred years old. Sometimes magic doesn't work on me."

"I'm sure it will. Augustus's magic is extremely powerful." Louise reached over and clutched my wrist gently, her touch reassuring. "Trust him."

I winked at Augustus. "I do. Well…here goes nothing." I steeled myself as I raised my wrist to my mouth and bit into it, wincing briefly at the sharp sting.

Augustus opened the flask and held it under my wrist. Five drops of blood splashed into the red liquid, each one causing the potion to darken and sparkle.

I cocked my eyebrow suspiciously and looked up at Augustus.

He squeezed my shoulder, his touch comforting. "That just means the potion's reacting with your blood. Its healing powers will only work on you now."

I glanced at the flask warily, my stomach twisting with nerves. "Does it need to…cook? When will it be ready?"

"It's ready now," Augustus said, holding out the flask. "Your blood was all I was waiting for."

"Drink it," Louise urged, rubbing my arm soothingly. "It will work, I promise."

I took a deep breath. I trusted Angelo, Louise, and Augustus, and I was tired of being in pain all the time. With a shaking hand, I clasped the flask.

I lifted it up as if proposing a toast, my voice trembling slightly. "Bottoms up." I sniffed the flask cautiously; the metallic scent of blood mingled with a delicate aroma of roses. At first, I took only a hesitant sip, but then the delicious taste instantly ignited a hunger within me. My fangs lengthened and I tossed the flask back, draining the rest in one gulp.

The potion burned as it slipped down my throat, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. For a moment, I felt a flicker of hope, a whisper of promise that the elixir might do as Augustus and Louise had said and heal the wounds that had left me broken and bleeding.

Then, without warning, my body betrayed me.

It started as a tremor in my hands, a subtle quivering that quickly escalated into violent spasms. The flask slipped from my hand, my fingers no longer able to maintain their grip. Everything seemed to go into slow motion, the flask tumbling end over end. The sound of shattering glass pierced the air when it hit the cement patio, a jarring cacophony that echoed in my ears.

I collapsed to the ground, my body now wracked with full-on convulsions. Every muscle, every nerve, every fiber of my being felt as if it were on fire, consumed by an agony I had never known before. My vision blurred, the world around me slipping in and out of focus as I gasped for air, my lungs burning and straining with each ragged breath.

Through the haze of pain, I dimly heard the flapping of wings, a sound that had grown so familiar to me over the years. A large bat swooped down toward the balcony, its form shifting and morphing as it approached. When it landed, it was Dimitri who stood before me, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and concern.

"What the hell did you do to her?" he demanded, his voice furious as he rounded on the others. "If you've hurt her, I swear I'll rip your hearts out and feed them to you myself."

Despite the pain that consumed me, a flicker of warmth bloomed in my chest at the sight of him, at the sheer ferocity of his protection. He gathered me into his arms, cradling me against his chest as if I were the most precious thing in the world. His touch was so gentle compared to the fury etched into every line of his face—gentle enough that I relaxed and allowed my eyes to fall shut.