Page 6 of Cry of Blood and Joy (French Quarter Vampire Enforcer #2)

Chapter Five

Enzo

Joy was still asleep after our lovemaking, her face peaceful and unguarded in a way that made my chest tight with emotion. I slowly slid out from underneath her, careful not to disturb her rest. She needed this. After everything she’d been through tonight, she deserved a few hours of peace.

She was so beautiful lying there, her dark hair spilled across my jacket, her lips still slightly swollen from my kisses. The taste of her blood lingered sweetly in my mouth, a reminder of how completely she’d trusted me, how she’d offered herself so freely.

I would do anything to protect her. Kill for her. Die for her. She was everything to me—my salvation, my weakness, my greatest strength all wrapped into one perfect, fragile human who somehow loved a monster like me.

I slipped out of the bedroom. As dawn crept through the window, Steve huddled in a corner as if to get away from it.

Steve rubbed his eyes and stretched from his position on the floor near the front window. “No movement outside,” he said through a wide yawn, exhaustion heavy in his voice. Dark circles shadowed his eyes. I could see the toll this night had taken on him.

I moved closer, keeping my voice low so I wouldn’t wake Joy. “You need to protect your sister.” We both understood I meant more than physical safety. Steve was the only family she had left, the only one who truly understood what she’d been through growing up.

He blinked at me, confused and nearly asleep. “I thought you were going to take the next watch.” His red hair was disheveled, sticking up at odd angles, and fatigue made his movements sluggish.

“I am,” I said, settling into position by the window where I could see both the street and keep an eye on the door Joy slept peacefully behind. “Angelo’s not going to stop hunting us just because we’re tired. Your sister needs you alert and ready.”

I studied his face, seeing the weight of responsibility settling on his young shoulders. “Can you handle this? Because if something happens to her because we let our guard down...”

Steve straightened, some of the weariness leaving his features as determination took hold. “I won’t let anything happen to Joy. She’s all I’ve got left.”

“Good.” I peered out the window to make sure there were no signs of Angelo or his men.

The street was quiet, just a few people getting in their cars and a jogger running by.

No sign of our enemies, but it could be an illusion.

Angelo may have just been waiting for the right time to pounce. “I need to go see Keir Rankin.”

Steve’s eyebrows pulled together in a sharp frown, his pale hand clenching at his side. “Why?” The word came out rougher than usual, and I caught the faint tremor in his voice—hunger making him edgier than normal.

“Joy lost control of her shadow powers.” I pulled away from the window and headed over to the front door. “Since we know she’s part Unseelie, maybe Keir will have some answers on how she can control them.”

Steve’s jaw tightened as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Shouldn’t you bring her with you?”

“No.” I shook my head, the movement sharp and decisive, even as everything in me wanted to return to Joy’s side.

“It could be a trap. Angelo would go to Keir first.” My instincts prickled with unease at the thought of my boss anticipating my every move, but leaving her was like tearing away part of myself.

I glanced toward the door Joy was behind, her skin still flushed from our lovemaking.

“I’ll wait until I know it’s clear.” I tilted my head.

“Stay with her,” I said, the words coming out harder than I intended.

If anything happened to her, I’d never forgive myself. I wasn’t sure I could trust her with Steve, not with his hunger growing, but I didn’t have a choice.

I turned back to face him, my shoulders tensed. If we didn’t want a death sentence over our head, Joy needed to learn to control her powers. Only then would Angelo believe she wasn’t a danger.

Steve lowered his arms. His nostrils flared slightly—scenting the air. His hunger was getting worse. I narrowed my eyes. “I know you’re hungry, but you can’t go out to feed.”

He chuckled bitterly. “How could I even if I wanted to try? The sun’s up. Besides, I won’t let her out of my sight. She’s my sister.”

I looked down the hallway where Joy was sleeping, wishing I could stay with her.

Everything in me wanted to crawl back beside her, to forget about Angelo and the danger closing in around us.

But this was a hellhole, and keeping her here any longer would be signing her death warrant.

I dragged my gaze away and turned back to Steve, my jaw clenching with resolve.

I needed to get her someplace safe, away from Angelo, Ari, anyone who was hunting her.

“I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I had to say next. “If I don’t come back by dark, I’m not coming back.”

Images of Angelo’s torture room flashed through my mind—the chains, the silver instruments, the screams that echoed off the walls. I pushed the thoughts away before they could paralyze me. I wouldn’t make it out alive if he caught me, but I’d die before I revealed where Joy was.

I met Steve’s eyes, my voice dropping to a whisper. “You need to get Joy out of New Orleans.”

“And go where?” He clenched his fists at his sides.

I ran a hand through my hair, thinking quickly. “Go to Colorado. To Legacy Academy. Do you know where it is?”

He nodded slowly, though his frown deepened. “Yeah, I’ve heard of it.”

“Rose Dragan knows where it is and will give you directions to the Celestial Lightrail Express—it will take you to Legacy.” I gripped the doorframe tightly. “Find Anton Lange. He’s the headmaster. He’s an ancient vampire and may have answers on how to help Joy control her powers.”

Steve gripped my shoulder, concern flooding his blue eyes. “You’re coming back, bro.”

I nodded grimly, but the words wouldn’t come. My throat was tight as I looked away, unable to meet his desperate gaze. I wasn’t fooling myself—or him, apparently.

Angelo and I knew all the same locations, thought the same way. He’d be right on my ass the moment I showed up at Keir’s. I gritted my teeth, feeling the familiar cold settle in my stomach.

He was clever and dangerous and vengeful. And Joy had just hurt the most precious thing he owned: Serenity.

I closed my eyes briefly, knowing the truth with bone-deep certainty. That wasn’t something he’d forgive or leave unpunished.

The door creaked open down the hall, the sound cutting through the tension like a blade. “Enzo?”

Her sleep-roughened voice was like a temptation I couldn’t afford.

I wanted to turn around, to draw her into my arms and kiss away the confusion I could hear threading through that single word.

To whisper lies about how everything was going to be all right, how I’d be back before she knew it, how Angelo would never touch her.

Lies. All of it would be lies.

Something I wouldn’t do to her. Not when she’d already been betrayed by so many others.

The floorboards groaned as she stepped closer, and I could feel the warmth radiating from her skin even from here. “Where are you going?” The vulnerability in her voice nearly broke my resolve.

I forced myself to keep my back to her, my hand hovering over the door handle.

Sunlight streamed through the dirty windows, casting harsh shadows across the empty room.

Steve edged away from the rays. As a newly made vampire, he would get burned, but I wouldn’t.

I was ancient and the sunlight didn’t affect me the same way.

“Stay inside.” I turned the door handle, refusing to look at her. “Steve will explain.”

“Enzo, wait?—”

She would want to come with me, would use those beautiful, desperate eyes to try to convince me it was the right thing to do. And god help me, part of me wanted to let her. But I’d rather face Angelo’s torture than watch him get his hands on her.

I slipped out the door, drawing on vampire speed to put distance between myself and the woman who held my heart in her hands. I moved through the empty streets, each step taking me further from safety and closer to what might be my execution.

Behind me, I heard her call my name again, the sound muffled by the closed door but still sharp enough to make my chest tighten. Steve’s low voice followed, probably trying to calm her, to explain what I couldn’t bring myself to say.

If I didn’t come back—when I didn’t come back—Steve would get her to safety. He had to. Because if he failed, if he let anything happen to her...

My hands clenched into fists as I picked up speed, the familiar cold rage settling into my bones. If by some miracle I survived and Steve let anything happen to her, there would be nowhere he could hide where I wouldn’t find him. I’d hunt him to the ends of the earth if necessary.

Angelo wasn’t the only one who knew how to wield pain.