All Chapters of Blood Beneath the Cypress Knees: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

A deafening roar cut through the tense air as Rio stormed in, covered in blood and mud, eyes glowing like molten gold. He was on the first soldier before the man could raise his rifle, tearing out his throat in one swift motion.Gunfire erupted from the second man, but Rio moved like a phantom. Bullets whizzed past as his claws raked through the soldier’s chest, his heart crushed in Rio’s palm.The third soldier’s face twisted in terror. He fired blindly, but Adelaide was faster, pinning him against the wall. A single snap of her hands and his body went limp, falling in a heap to the floor.Outside, chaos still raged. Adonis, Lucien, and Claude tore through the human forces, the swamp soaked red with blood. Screams echoed beneath the cypress trees as bodies fell one after another.“Clear!” Adonis’s deep voice thundered from beyond the doorway.Simone blew out a sharp breath, her hands never leaving Junie’s belly. “We need hot water and clean towels now!”Rio turned, chest heaving, and

The mansion felt quieter now, the sound of boots and weapons replaced by the occasional coo of baby Jade or the soft clink of glasses. Lucien, Thomas, Claude, and most of the men had left earlier in the evening, waiting until the sun disappeared behind the cypress trees before starting their journey. Traveling during daylight was impossible for most of them—they moved like shadows under the cover of night, heading toward the plantation to prepare it for their arrival.But inside the crowded house, there was no shortage of life.Junie sat on the wide couch, Jade nestled against her chest as Willa and Simone argued cheerfully about the best way to swaddle a baby. Adelaide stood nearby, rocking back and forth as she taught Jonah an old song from her human days. His normally guarded face softened as he sang along off-key, causing Adelaide to laugh so hard she had to sit.“You’re hopeless, boy,” Adonis teased from across the room. He was stretched out in a creaky chair like a king on hi

Thomas rose from the table, his massive form casting a long shadow across the maps. “I’ll send out scouts tonight. I want eyes on Vera’s stronghold, her numbers, and any surprises she’s hiding.”Rio nodded. “Pick your fastest. I want updates before we make another move.”“They’ll be ghosts,” Thomas assured, already motioning to one of his lieutenants waiting by the door. “No one will even know they’re there.”As the men began breaking off into smaller groups, assigning tasks and preparing weapons, the mood shifted from strategy to a quieter anticipation.In the sitting room, the fire crackled warmly. Junie sat curled in a chair, Jade nestled in her arms. The baby’s tiny fist wrapped tightly around Junie’s finger, her emerald-gold eyes already impossibly alert.“You’re doing beautifully,” Simone said softly as she arranged clean cloths nearby. “She’s calm because she feels your calm. You’re her whole world right now.”Junie gave a shaky laugh, brushing a thumb over Jade’s downy hair. “

The night air pulsed with tension as Rio’s voice carried across the field.“Positions. Witches, shields up. Vampires—stay close to your assigned casters. This is how we move unseen.”Around him, rebels crouched in the tall grass, eyes glowing faintly.Silas stood at the center of one unit, his hands raised as he whispered ancient words. A shimmering veil spread out like ripples in water, cloaking five vampires as they slipped toward the old plantation house.Inside, Junie let out a long sigh. Willa was gently rocking baby Jade in her arms.“Go on, baby,” Willa coaxed. “She’s asleep. Let me hold her a while—you need a little time for yourself.”Junie hesitated but finally handed her daughter over.“Thanks, Mom.” She pressed a kiss to Jade’s downy hair before stepping outside.On the porch, Simone sipped her mug of warm blood as Junie joined her.“They’ve added witches to the strike teams,” Simone said, nodding toward the field. “Clever. Silas shields them with magic, and they move sile

The swamp smelled of wet moss and iron. Rain fell in a light drizzle, pattering against leaves and the mud-slick ground as Rio’s team moved silently through the treeline.Silas was at the center of one of the stealth units, his eyes glowing faintly as he whispered incantations under his breath, a faint shimmering shield surrounding the small cluster of vampires he protected. “Stay close. My magic won’t hold if you scatter,” he warned, his voice low.Celine crouched beside Odessa, eyes scanning the darkness for movement. The two exchanged a nod—old habits and new bonds making their teamwork seamless.“Keep moving. The rain’s nothing… yet,” Claude muttered, his deep Cajun voice rumbling like the distant thunder that rolled across the swamp. But his golden eyes flicked upward at the clouds. “If it gets heavier, the fire arrows won’t light.”Adonis, at the head of another group, glanced back, smirking despite the tension. “Then we’ll just have to burn them the old-fashioned way. Up close