Page 7 of Cry of Blood and Joy
His relief was visible as tension melted from his features. “You’re sure? The bite?—”
“Was perfect,” I whispered against his mouth. “You’re perfect. That was exactly what I needed.”
He brushed a strand of hair from my damp forehead before pressing a tender kiss there, his lips lingering against my skin. The gesture was so gentle, so intimate, it made my heart flutter all over again. “Good. Now sleep with me.”
I frowned up at him, suddenly aware of how heavy my eyelids had become, how the exhaustion I’d been fighting all night was finally winning. The combination of our lovemaking and the endorphins from his bite had left me drowsy and completely relaxed for the first time since this nightmare began. “Are you using compulsion on me?”
He shook his head immediately, his expression becoming serious. “No. Never you.” His thumb traced my cheekbone as he gazed down at me with such intensity it stole my breath. “I would never take your choice away, Joy. What we have—what we just shared—it only means something because you give it freely.”
The sincerity in his voice made my throat tighten. After everything we’d been through, after the intimacy we’d just shared, he was still protecting my autonomy, still making sure I knew I was safe with him.
“I trust you,” I whispered, the words carrying more weight than just about sleep. I trusted him with my body, my heart, my very soul. “But what about Steve? What about Angelo?”
“Steve’s watching. He won’t let anything happen to us.” Enzo shifted carefully, pulling me against his chest without breaking our intimate connection. His jacket was soft beneath us, hisarms warm and protective around me. “And Angelo... We’ll face him when we have to. But right now, you need rest. We both do.”
I nestled closer to him, breathing in his familiar scent, feeling safer than I had any right to feel in this haunted place. “Stay with me?”
“Always,” he murmured against my hair. “I’m not going anywhere.”
As our breathing slowly returned to normal, he pulled out of me gently, and I immediately missed the connection. With tender care, he pulled up my sundress straps, helping me straighten the rumpled fabric. Then he gathered me into his arms, and I curled against him willingly, laying my head on his chest and listening to the steady rhythm of his heart.
Even here, in this place haunted by past horrors, I was completely safe. The warmth of his skin, the protective circle of his arms, the reassuring beat of his heart beneath my ear—it all combined to chase away the shadows of this cursed house.
Enzo would always protect me, just like I would do anything to keep him safe. We were bound now, not just by passion but by something deeper—an unbreakable promise to stand together against whatever darkness lay ahead.
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 circlesshadowed 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 knowshe’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.
