Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Angelo
The cold moon was rising on the horizon, pale and enormous against the darkening sky.
What the hell was happening? We'd fortified every entrance, doubled every guard, prepared for an assault. I didn't think Vex would give up this easily. The silence, the lack of attack—it felt wrong. Like the calm before a massacre.
Enzo and I stood in the courtyard, hidden in the shadows cast by the gallery above, watching, waiting.
His phone vibrated.
He pulled it out, checked the screen. "Yeah, Draven?"
I watched his face change—confusion, then alarm.
"That's not possible." Enzo's eyes narrowed to something deadly. "Angelo's standing right next to me."
The world narrowed to a single, lethal focus. "What?"
But I already knew. Already understood with horrible, crystallizing certainty.
I looked up at the balcony—at our bedroom where Serenity was with Noelle, where Lorenzo stood guard.
Glamour.
I shifted instantly into bat form and shot upward, wings beating frantically. I hit the balcony and transformed mid-flight, throwing the French doors open so hard they slammed against the walls.
Serenity was slumped in the chair beside the bassinet, her head lolling to one side, barely conscious. Her eyes were unfocused, drugged.
The bassinet was empty.
Empty.
"LORENZO!"
The bedroom door burst open, and Lorenzo rushed inside, his hand on his weapon. "Angelo? What's wrong? I thought you were—"
I was across the room in a heartbeat. I grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall, my fangs fully descended, murder singing in my veins. "Where the hell is my daughter?"
Lorenzo's eyes went wide with shock and fear. "You took her," he gasped, his hands coming up to try to pry my fingers loose. "You came in and said Serenity needed to rest. You had Noelle under your jacket. You told me to stay at my post and not disturb you both—"
"THAT WASN'T ME!" I threw him aside and spun back to Serenity. "Serenity! Tesoro!"
The room was too quiet. Shadows crawled across the walls, broken only by the faint gleam of moonlight. Serenity was slumped in her chair, head bowed, hair spilling forward. The bassinet beside her was empty.
I dropped to my knees beside her chair, cupping her face. Her skin was clammy, her pupils dilated. Drugged.
"Angelo..." she slurred, her hand weakly reaching for me. "Took... her. Prudence... glamour... looked like you..."
Prudence.
Not Tinker Bell.
Prudence.
"Prudence," I snarled, her name tasting like poison on my tongue. The witch we'd trusted. The one who'd played us all perfectly while Tinker Bell rotted wherever Prudence had hidden her.
The frame job. The lies. All of it—to keep us looking in the wrong direction while she walked right past our guards wearing my face.
The thought of her posing as me, then taking my daughter ignited something primal. Rage tore through me, hot and blinding, colliding with the colder hunger to make Prudence pay—to bleed her dry, inch by inch.
But not yet.
Not until I had Noelle back.
I drew a slow breath, forcing the fury down, shoving it behind the walls I’d built over centuries. Control was a fragile thing, and mine was cracking.
"How long?" I demanded, looking back at Lorenzo. "How long ago?"
"Ten minutes. Maybe less." Lorenzo was pale, horrified. "I didn't know, Angelo. I swear I didn't know—"
The ritual.
The Full Cold Moon was rising.
And my daughter was in the hands of a witch who'd made a deal with a demon.
Enzo flew into the bedroom, his phone still clutched in his hand. "Angelo, I know where she went."
I dropped Lorenzo instantly and whirled toward Enzo. "Where?"
"Crimson Stakes. Draven just saw someone enter—someone who looked like you carrying a bundle under their jacket. He called to confirm because he knew you were supposed to be here." Crimson Stakes was our casino on Bourbon Street—right in the heart of the French Quarter's chaos.
Enzo's jaw tightened, all business. "You were right about Prudence. She went into the secret room."
"Tell Draven to break down the door. Get my daughter out of there. Now."
"I already did." Enzo's expression was dark with frustration. "It won't budge. She's sealed it with magic—strong magic. Draven says it feels like the door isn't even there anymore, just solid wall. He can't break through."
I was already moving, heading for the balcony. "Then I'll break through myself."
"Angelo, wait—" Enzo grabbed my arm. "If she's already started the ritual, breaking in wrong could—"
"Could what?" I spun on him, my fangs fully descended. "Let her finish? Let her kill my daughter while we stand here talking about the right way to interrupt?"
Enzo's jaw clenched. "I'm just saying we need to be smart about this. Ritual magic is tricky. If we disrupt it wrong—"
"Then we'll deal with the consequences." I looked back at Serenity, still slumped in the chair, tears streaming down her face. The sight cut through the armor I’d worn for centuries. She and Noelle were my life, my reason for every monstrous thing I’d done.
I couldn’t lose them. Not again. And if I did…there wouldn’t be anything left of me worth saving.
I turned to my men. “Lorenzo, stay with Serenity. Keep her safe. Enzo, with me. Now."
Serenity stirred. “Take me with you.”
I shook my head. “No, you’re—”
Serenity struggled to stand, and she gave me a look that froze my heart. She gritted her teeth. “She’s my daughter.”
Joy came running into the room. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
Enzo looked at her. “Prudence stole the baby. She’s taken her to Crimson Stakes there. The vampires there can’t open the door.”
Joy looked at me. “My shadows can. Take me with you.”
Serenity flashed out her golden wings. “I’m coming with you.”
There wasn’t time to argue. If I left her, she’d only follow. Against my better judgment, I gave into her demand. “Lorenzo, take Joy to Crimson Stakes.” I flashed my fangs. “Don’t fuck this up.”
“I won’t.” He rubbed his throat where I had gripped him. “I promise I won’t.”
“Enzo, Serenity. We fly now. Lorenzo, tell Dimitri he’s in charge until we get back.”
I shifted into bat form and shot off the balcony into the night. Serenity and Enzo were right behind me.
We were flying toward Crimson Stakes as fast as we could.
Toward our daughter.
Toward the witch who'd stolen her.
The Full Cold Moon was rising.
And I was going to paint the streets red with Prudence's blood.
Luckily it was night, and the humans didn't seem to notice two vampires and a Nephilim slicing through the sky with deadly purpose.
Most of them were intoxicated, stumbling between bars wearing Santa hats and light-up reindeer antlers.
Christmas music blared from every doorway—competing versions of "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Santa Baby" creating a discordant symphony.
Strings of colorful lights were draped across balconies. Inflatable snowmen swayed in doorways. Street performers dressed as elves played jazz on corners while tourists threw bills into their cases.
It was Christmas on Bourbon Street—loud, drunk, and utterly oblivious to the fact that a demon-summoning witch had just stolen a hybrid baby for a ritual sacrifice happening blocks away.
The contrast was sickening. All this joy, this celebration, this life—while my daughter was being prepared for slaughter.
The neon sign for Crimson Stakes blazed ahead—our red and gold logo glittering with white Christmas lights we'd added for the season. Normally I'd appreciate the festive touch.
Tonight I wanted to rip it all down.
We landed in the alley next to the casino.
I grabbed Serenity’s hand and the three of us stepped into the neon glow of Bourbon Street.
A group of college kids wearing matching "Merry Drunk I'm Christmas” shirts blocked the sidewalk.
I shoved through them ignoring their protests as I pulled Serenity close.
Enzo flanked me, clearing a path through the crowd with his sheer presence.
I was the most powerful vampire here. That fucking door didn’t stand a chance. I tore through the casino toward my secret room, moving faster than a blink. The humans would never noticed—no one ever did. Not even Enzo and Serenity could move as fast I could.
Draven paced back and forth in front of the door like a caged animal.
Sweat trickled down his temples despite the cool air.
"Thank god you're here." He tilted his head toward the four vampires behind him, all with their hands braced against the wall, strain evident on their faces.
"None of us can get through. It's like the damn thing is welded shut. "
Enzo and I stepped up to the door immediately. We both pushed—vampire strength that could bend steel, that could lift cars, that had torn through enemies for centuries.
Nothing. It didn't even shift.
It was like trying to move a mountain—worse, like forcing something that didn’t even exist in the same reality. Power burned under my skin, fighting for release, but the harder I pushed, the more it slipped through my grasp. Every failure was a blade twisting deeper.
"Fuck!" I slammed my fist against the door repeatedly, each impact echoing like thunder. "OPEN UP, YOU BITCH! PRUDENCE!"
The wood didn't even dent. Didn't crack. Magic shimmered across its surface with each hit, absorbing the blows.
I could hear casino patrons behind us, their conversations faltering.
I didn't care. Didn't care if I scared every human in this building. Didn't care if I exposed us all.
My daughter was behind that fucking door.
And this witch thought a magical barrier would stop me from reaching her.
"Angelo." Enzo's hand gripped my shoulder. "Brute force isn't working. We need—"
"I need my daughter!" I roared, slamming both fists against the door. "NOELLE!"
From somewhere beyond the barrier—faint, barely audible—I heard it.
A baby's cry.
My daughter.
Crying.
Every cell in my body screamed to get to her. Every instinct, every protective urge, every ounce of paternal rage.
"Break it down," I snarled at Draven. "Get an axe, a battering ram, explosives—I don't care. Break. It. Down."
"Stop."
Serenity's voice cut through my rage like a blade. I spun around, chest heaving. She walked toward me with Joy and Lorenzo. Her face was still pale from the drugs, sweat beading her forehead, but her eyes—her eyes burned with fierce determination.
"What are you talking about?" I stared at her. “Noelle is in there.”
"I know.” She moved away from Joy and Lorenzo. "Let me try something. Noelle and I are connected—blood, soul, everything. I carried her for nine months. I can reach her."
I slammed my palm against my chest. “She's my daughter too, damn it.”
"I know." She placed her hand on my arm, her touch grounding me even through my panic. Her fingers were cold, trembling. "Please, Angelo. Trust me."
I looked at her—at my mate, my Serenity, still fighting even though she could barely stand. Then at the door that wouldn't budge.
"Nothing else is working," Enzo panted beside me, his own hands bloodied from trying to claw through. "You might as well let her try."
I stepped back, the predator in me snarling at the idea of her anywhere near danger—but reason held the leash. She was right.
Serenity moved to the door. She placed both palms flat against the wood, fingers spread wide. Her head fell forward, resting against the barrier.
"Hear me, Noelle," she whispered. Then louder: "Mama's here, baby girl. Mama's coming."
Watching her nearly undid me. The quiet strength in her voice, the way her hands trembled but didn’t pull back—she was all light and defiance, everything I wasn’t. And I couldn’t help her. I could only stand there and hope her magic reached our daughter before the darkness did.
Her head suddenly thrust back, spine arching. A blinding white light exploded from her body—pure angelic power, blazing and radiant. It rolled over her in waves, spreading across the door, seeping into the cracks.
"Serenity!" I lunged forward and grabbed her shoulders, trying to pull her back—
An electric shock blasted through me, violent and searing, throwing me backward. I crashed into Enzo, both of us hitting the floor hard.
But Serenity didn't stop. She shook violently, her whole body convulsing as power poured through her.
The light grew brighter, more intense, blazing like a star. Her wings manifested—huge, magnificent, filling the hallway with divine radiance.
And the door began to crack.
God, she was magnificent—reckless, but magnificent. This could work. If she could just open it wider, I could rush in and grab Noelle.
Hairline fractures spread across the wood like lightning, spider-webbing outward from where her hands pressed. The magical barrier sizzled and sparked, fighting her angelic power, but losing.
Then the aura suddenly flickered and faded. The light died.
And then the light was gone. Darkness slammed into me, crushing the last fragile shard of hope I had left.
Serenity staggered backward, her wings vanishing as quickly as they'd appeared. "I can't—I can't anymore. I'm sorry. I tried—"
I caught her before she collapsed, easing her down to sit against the wall. Her face was deathly pale, her hands shaking uncontrollably. “I promise you I’ll get our daughter.”
But the door held.
I scrambled to my feet and stared at it. The cracks were there, deep and spreading. The magical barrier was weakened, damaged.
Not broken. But damaged.
"Again," I said, turning to Draven and the others. "All of us. Now. While it's weak."
We rushed the door together—six vampires throwing our combined strength against the weakened barrier.
It groaned. Shuddered.
But it still didn't move.
I slammed into it again. And again. And again. Using every ounce of centuries-old strength, every bit of power I'd accumulated as king.
Nothing.
The cracks were there. The barrier was damaged. But it wasn't enough.
I was the vampire mafia king. I'd conquered territories, destroyed enemies, built an empire that stretched across continents. I commanded legions. I was supposed to be powerful. Invincible.
And even with all my men, even with everything I was—
I couldn't open a fucking door.
I couldn't save my daughter.
Tears pushed against my eyelids, burning, unfamiliar. I hadn't cried in centuries. Hadn't allowed myself that weakness since I was human, since I was mortal and powerless.
But I was breaking now.
My daughter was on the other side of this door. I could hear her crying—that thin, frightened wail that tore at something primal in my chest. She was calling for me, for her mother, for someone to save her.
And I couldn't reach her.