13. Kali

His reflexes were so fast. Too fast. The tip of the stake had barely brushed his chest before his fingers curled around my wrist, halting my attack. His other hand was still in my hair, and I let out a yell when he yanked me closer, keeping the stake between us.

"Kali, no," Zan roared, his voice saturated with panic—something I'd never heard from him before.

My heart was pounding out of control, dread climbing through my limbs. I was so dead. Every part of me knew it, and there was no stopping the fear from swallowing me whole.

Silence smothered the room, and I had no choice but to look at Amaros as he kept my wrist trapped, and his other hand in my hair.

But then he laughed. A loud, amused laugh that echoed in my ears, making ice drip down my spine.

"I like you," he murmured, his eyes studying me as if for the first time. "You still hold fear, but unlike so many other humans, you don't let it control you. Though you should probably work on your rash decisions. Those might not end well."

I glared at him, loathing in my gaze. No words formed in my head as I counted my last minutes. My move might have entertained him, but I doubted he was going to let me get away with what I'd just attempted to do.

"She's mine," Zan growled, inching closer. "You know she never would get close enough to hurt you?—"

"Calm down, son," Amaros chided harshly. "I'm not going to kill her. Not when she's wearing your necklace. I will say, I am surprised. I always guessed one of my sons would bring home a woman who would try to murder me. But I always thought it would be Pax."

None of his sons made a sound as he chuckled at his own words. Pain shot through my wrist when he squeezed it hard. I gritted my teeth, loosening my hold on the stake. But he didn't grab the stake. Instead, he slid his hand down, covering my fingers with his own. He released my hair, keeping my hand trapped over the stake.

"You are…curious," he told me, the humor fading from his face.

"Why?" I snarled, my voice trembling slightly. "Because I tried to kill you?"

"Many have tried before you." He cocked his head, his eyes locked on mine. "That doesn't make you special. But do you know what does?"

"No," I answered, only because his pressure on my hand tightened as if waiting for me to speak.

He leaned closer until his face was only inches from mine. "I have a few certain abilities. Ones that hawthorn doesn't affect. Would you like to know about one of them?"

That was a loaded question. He was only telling me this because it benefited him. Or to scare me.

"If I concentrate, I can sense people's emotions," he revealed in a low voice. "I can get into a mind enough to read what they're feeling. Happiness, comfort, trust. Although, when I'm reading someone, it's usually fear or panic. I can easily tell when I'm being lied to. Who is loyal to me. A very helpful tool when things like hawthorn dampen entrancement."

My pulse thrashed as I listened to him. Was he the only vampire who could do something like that? Just like with Zan walking in the sun, Amaros had just dropped another bomb of truth. Something humans didn't know.

"But you…" He trailed off, inspecting me. "I can't get into your head."

My eyes widened in shock, his words only confusing me more. My gaze darted to the side, catching sight of Zan. His arms were down at his sides, his hands clenched tight. But right now, he was staring at his father, looking as surprised as I felt.

"I've met a few over the years like you," Amaros continued, pulling my gaze back to him. "But between this and the scent of your blood, you are very curious. I'm glad Zan found you. Someone like you should be kept close."

"Why?" I asked in a quiet whisper.

"Because my abilities don't work on you like other humans. You're better off with us." He stilled for a moment, as if suddenly thinking of something. "Are you a Clover?"

Again, I locked up. Did it matter if he knew? I was trapped here anyway, and from the way he was talking, there was no chance I was leaving now.

"I'll take that as a yes." He glanced at Zan. "Did you know?"

Zan's gaze cut to me as he answered. "I found out recently."

Another lie.

"Careful with her," Amaros warned as if I wasn't in the room. "This won't be the last time she tries to kill us. But I can see why you chose her. Her strength. Beauty. She's cunning. You chose well. She's perfect."

"Perfect for what?" I blurted out, my voice a notch higher.

"Nothing—"

Amaros cut Zan off with a sharp look. "She doesn't know?"

"No," Zan bit out, his expression revealing nothing. "She's already a wild card. It's best to wait."

My legs threatened to give out, but Amaros's tight hold on my wrist kept me in place. A new wave of emotion slammed into me, but for an entirely different reason. My fear of Amaros faded as a shattering pain rushed through me. Hitting me straight in my heart. Zan had been lying for me this entire conversation.

But he'd been lying to me for who knew how long.

Amaros scoffed. "You can handle her, even if she does know."

Viggo rubbed the back of his neck while Pax's stare went to the floor when I looked at him. Zan didn't move a muscle, standing unnaturally still as he focused on his father.

"That necklace is made for one person," Amaros told me, a cruel edge to his tone. "One woman of my son's choosing. A woman I approve of. Lucky for you, I do approve. Even though your antics are going to make my son's life harder for a while. Have you tried staking him before?" He shook his head. "Never mind. I'm sure you have. Especially if you were a Clover."

"She's nothing I can't handle."

Zan's words had me glancing at him again, but his eyes were on his father. He refused to look at me, and with each passing moment, my anger grew. He had been acting like he wanted me here with him. That he wanted me. And even knowing who he was, I let him in at the beach earlier. That's what I got for going against my instincts.

"I know that, Zan," Amaros praised him. "I raised you right."

"What am I perfect for?" I asked, my voice shrill. "Tell me."

My unease grew when Amaros spun me around until my back slammed into his chest. His hand was still covering mine over the stake, and no matter how much I struggled, there was no escaping him.

"Hold him, Viggo."

Viggo obeyed his father's order without hesitation, stepping up and grabbing Tim, holding both of his arms behind his back. Tim cursed and fought, but he wasn't a match for Viggo. Panic wrapped around my chest and squeezed as Amaros forced us forward until we were in front of Tim.

"I have three sons," Amaros murmured in my ear. "Do you know their secret?"

"They're Shadows," I gritted out. "Only half vampire."

"Yes. Combined with my bloodline, they're nearly unstoppable. Now, some of the humans that I turn could grow to have the same powers as me. But that takes centuries." Amaros raised our hands, aiming the stake toward Tim's face, and no matter how hard I tried to pull away, Amaros's hold was steady. "Shadows are powerful. They can walk in the sun. Their blood heals. Their strength is unmatched. I wanted my sons to possess such abilities. And I want to grow my family."

The blood drained from my face. There was no hiding the shock, and I wondered if Zan was purposely staying to the side where I couldn't see him. There was only one thing his words meant.

"I want heirs," Amaros continued while he pressed the stake against Tim's cheek as Viggo held his hair to keep him still. "Instead of waiting centuries, I only need to wait a quarter of one for my children to become Shadows. Already, we've made so much progress with my children helping me since they transitioned seven years ago."

Amaros pushed the wood harder, puncturing Tim's skin right above his jawbone. My hand was useless under his as we both held the stake. Pain was etched on Tim's face, but he didn't utter a sound as he met my gaze. Tears pricked my eyes, my stare following the trail of blood going down his face.

"Not every vampire—Shadow or full blood—can mate with humans." He pulled away the stake, only to lower it and then slam it into Tim's stomach.

"No," I shrieked, feeling his warm blood cover my hand as Amaros held the stake in place.

Then he kept talking as if he hadn't just stabbed Tim. "The twins can't mate. But Zan? He can. And he knows how important it is to continue the Kane lineage. Don't you, son?"

Tears were rolling down my face, and I had no idea whether they were from watching Tim bleed out or from Amaros's words. Zan was using me. Was this why we'd gone to the beach? So he could get me to trust him?

"Heal him," Amaros ordered. Viggo released Tim's arms, keeping his hair in a tight grip, and then bit his own wrist before shoving it against Tim's mouth.

"We don't want just anyone." Amaros's breath hit my hair as he spoke. "We want someone who matches our genetics. You, Kali, meet that in spades. I can tell just from this short time with you. Your children will be perfect when they become Shadows. You'd survive pregnancy, probably more than once."

I was going to be sick. Bile burned my throat, and I choked it back. I swallowed everything back. I would not give Amaros the satisfaction of my reaction. He wanted it. That was the entire reason he was sharing this.

"I can also tell that you aren't one to ever want to mate with vampires. You're too strong-willed. Your hate for us is tangible. Which is why Zan hasn't told you." He turned me slightly until he could meet my eyes. "What you want does not matter anymore. My son chooses to treat you with more respect than a human deserves, and that's his choice. But at the end of this? You will submit to what he wants. To do what we want. Do you understand, Kali?"

I detested this monster. Loathed him in such a way that I'd never felt before. I glared at him, wishing for the first time in my life that I was a vampire. One so strong that I could kill Amaros Kane. He was a vile monster. One I wanted to ruin.

"It will happen," he murmured. "Accepting it will make it easier on you."

"Just kill me," I snarled venomously. "I will never accept it."

I didn't care. Terror still had me in an iron grip, but that couldn't stop me from saying the truth. I would rather die in this room than be tethered to Amaros Kane for the rest of my life.

He chuckled darkly, eyeing my necklace. "I don't need entrancement to know that's true. But unfortunately for you, that's not your choice to make. We can talk more about this later. Right now, I want you to help me convince this Clover to tell us what he knows."

I made sure I was looking right at him when I answered. "No."

"Don't worry. I'll help." He pulled me back to his chest. My fingers ached under his, but he didn't loosen his hold at all as he pushed the stake up to Tim's throat. Viggo had one of Tim's arms bent up behind his back to keep him immobile.

"Last chance," Amaros threatened, his words for Tim. "Tell me what I want to know. Or I'll repeat this lesson. Bring you close to death and heal you, just to do it again."

"I will never talk," Tim choked out.

Amaros suddenly released my hand so that it was only me holding the stake. "Go ahead, Kali. Don't hit his jugular. We don't want him dying on us yet."

My mouth went dry, the stake trembling in my hand. "I won't do it."

"You will. We'll stay here as long?—"

Tim suddenly snatched my hand with his free one, giving me a sad smile before he yanked the stake toward his neck, puncturing his skin while my fingers were still trapped with his. He pulled the stake from the wound, and blood spewed out as the weapon clattered to the floor. He sagged in Viggo's hold, and Viggo muttered a curse, moving to open his wrist again, but Amaros spoke up first.

"It's too late," he grumbled. "Your blood won't reach his system before he bleeds out."

He finally released me, and I tore away, stumbling back from all of them. Tim was already motionless on the floor, and I scrambled toward the only exit. Until Zan stepped in my way. I raised my chin, meeting his eyes. His face was the same as it had been the night he saved me with his blood. Completely unreadable.

I backed up, wishing I still had the stake. Zan reached for me, and I ducked away.

"Don't fucking touch me," I hissed, my voice cracking despite me trying to control it.

Amaros let out a cold laugh. "Well, I can see now why you didn't tell her. She's going to be a handful."

"Go upstairs and wait for me," Zan demanded, his voice hard.

I let out a humorless laugh and skirted around him to get to the door. If he thought I was going to listen to him after hearing all of that, he obviously didn't know me very well. Survival had always been how I lived life. But this? I didn't want to live like this. Which was why I didn't give a single fuck about turning my back on four vampires.

But then his hand closed around my upper arm, tight enough that my struggles did absolutely nothing. He dragged me into the hall, slamming the door behind him. I whirled around, raising my arm, moving to swing. He caught my wrist before my open palm reached his cheek, and he jerked me toward him.

"Don't," he warned gruffly. "We'll talk about this later."

"Is it true?" I hated how that came out like I was begging. Pleading that everything Amaros said was a lie.

His eyes darted toward the closed door. "Yes."

One word.

That's all it took for the small trust I had in him to shatter. Was this why he'd saved me with his blood? Why he'd protected me from the Clovers?

"Kali." My name fell from his lips in a low whisper. "Go upstairs. I'll come talk to you later. You don't know everything."

"I don't care." I yanked my arm from his grasp, and he let me go. "I don't want to know anything more. I want nothing to do with you. I want to leave."

"That's not going to happen, and you know it," he murmured, his eyes boring into mine. "I told you that when I spilled my secrets."

I scoffed. "Clearly, you didn't spill them all."

"Go to my room, Kali. Now."

I didn't give a shit if he was acting like this because his father was here. Or maybe it was because now I knew the truth. It didn't matter to me. I couldn't fucking breathe in here. His room would be even worse.

I began backing up, holding his stare as I moved farther away. I shot him a bitter smirk as I bent at the waist while raising both my middle fingers to him.

"Here's my submission to you, Zan," I mocked, my tone laced with disgust. "Go fuck yourself."