Chapter Thirty-One
Enzo
Hades approached slowly, his claws squelching in the muddy bayou ground with deliberate precision. Then he shook his magnificent mane, the gesture oddly gentle for such a fearsome creature. Something was different about him—something I couldn't put my finger on, and every predatory instinct I had was snarling a warning. My brain was still foggy from the demon blood poisoning, thoughts moving like thick molasses when I needed them to think straight. Every cell in my body screamed for fresh blood to complete the healing process, making it hard to focus on the immediate threat.
Angelo and I immediately stepped in front of Serenity, our boots sinking slightly into the soft, waterlogged earth. My muscles wound tight, ready to spring into action despite my weakened state. "Get ready to run," I muttered to her, though my heart sank knowing she probably wouldn't take the escape route even if we gave it to her.
"No, stop," Gunnar panted behind us. "It's okay. He won't hurt you. He just wants to see me."
Angelo's fangs descended fully, a lethal hiss escaping him even over the distant sounds of the battle in the swamp. "If he attacks Serenity..."
"He won't," Gunnar insisted, but I could hear the uncertainty threading through his voice.
My heart lurched as Serenity stepped forward, her feet finding solid ground among the moss and fallen cypress logs. "I'm not afraid, Angelo."
"Get behind me." Angelo tried to shield her with his body.
"He won't hurt me. Watch. Come, Hades. I'm the one who healed Gunnar."
What the fuck was she doing? Hades spread his powerful wings wide and leapt into the air above the swampland. This was it—he was going to attack.
"Serenity!" Angelo's panic exploded as he seized her arm and yanked her behind him.
But Hades didn't strike. Instead, he swung around Angelo in a graceful arc and landed gently beside Serenity on a patch of relatively dry ground, settling with surprising delicacy.
Shit, was he purring? The sound rumbled from his chest like distant thunder echoing across the bayou, and my world tilted sideways.
Serenity reached out with trembling fingers and gently petted Hades' thick mane. The contrast between her simple jeans and t-shirt and his dark, powerful form was striking in its ordinariness—as if she were just a regular person comforting a wounded animal. She scratched him behind his ear with the same tenderness she might show a beloved house cat, and I watched in amazement as his eyes half closed in contentment.
"You're healed too, aren't you?"
In the distance, the sounds of battle still raged—steel clashing against claws, the wet sounds of violence, and the occasional scream that made my stomach clench. But here, inthis small pocket of the bayou, an impossible peace had settled over us.
Hades was acting like a big pussycat, nuzzling against Serenity's hand with obvious affection. Despite everything we'd been through, I found myself smiling at the absurd sight. The relief was so intense it made my knees weak—one less enemy to fight, one more ally on our side.
Angelo eyed the transformed dragon warily, his body still primed for action as if he was waiting for the punchline to some cruel joke. His fangs remained partially extended, ready to strike if this peaceful moment shattered.
Gunnar nodded slowly, a weak smile ghosting across his haggard features. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his face was gaunt from whatever ordeal he'd endured. "Whatever you did to me, you did to him." He slowly pushed himself off the muddy ground, his movements stiff and pained. A heavy sigh escaped his lips, weighted with misery and dawning realization. "How many people did I kill?"
Silence swallowed the question, thick and suffocating. I could see the devastation building in his eyes, the crushing weight of what he might have done while under Marsha's control. I refused to hide the truth from him—he deserved to know, no matter how much it would hurt. "Several, including my mate's brother."
The color drained from his face so completely I thought he might collapse again. "Shit. I didn't mean to—" He clenched his shaking hands into fists.
"You were under a dark spell," I interjected quickly, needing him to understand before the guilt destroyed him. Guilty men made mistakes, and we couldn’t afford any right now. “Marsha's the one that's responsible. She used you and Hades as her own personal attack dogs."
He looked around frantically, his restored blue eyes scanning the chaotic battlefield with growing panic. "Where's Ebony?"
"She's still inside.” I delivered the news without sugarcoating it, gesturing toward the cathedral where more sounds of conflict echoed from within. "Along with Rose and Valentin Dragan."
The anguish that crossed his face was almost too painful to witness. It matched my own, but I buried my pain.
Angelo's dark eyes swept over me with clinical assessment, taking in my pale complexion and the slight tremor in my hands. “Feed. Now.”
Without hesitation, he bit into his own wrist with a sharp, wet sound that made my mouth water instantly. Dark crimson blood welled up from the puncture wounds and slid down his sleeve in rivulets, the tempting scent hitting my nostrils like a drug. The rich, copper smell ignited the ravenous hunger inside me, making my vision snap into focus and my body go rigid with predatory need.
My fangs extended with an audible click, ready, and deadly. I grabbed his wrist with desperate hands, my fingers wrapping around his forearm as I pressed my mouth to the wounds. I sucked hard, drawing his life force into my depleted system with urgent, greedy pulls.
His blood flowed through me like sweet nectar mixed with liquid fire, spreading warmth through my cold veins and chasing away the lingering weakness from the demon blood poisoning. The fuzziness that had been clouding my thoughts evaporated instantly, leaving my mind crystal clear and alert. Strength flooded back into my muscles, and I could feel my supernatural abilities fully awakening again.
