20. Kali

"What's going on, Zan?" I asked again as I followed him downstairs. My hair was still dripping wet, and I'd had just enough time to brush it and get dressed before he practically dragged me out of the bedroom.

"You'll see in a minute," he answered vaguely.

Ice flowed through my veins. Was Amaros back? What the hell was going on inside Impulse to make him act so uneasy? My steps faltered once we were down the stairs. Zan slowed down, waiting for me to walk ahead of him. I peeked around the corner, my heart going haywire when I spotted the woman near the bar.

"You know her."

Zan's voice had my eyes snapping to him. He was watching me intently, and I realized why he hadn't told me anything until I saw her. He wanted my honest reaction. And he'd gotten it. In no way was I expecting Asami to show up here.

"Yes," I said slowly. "She's from Project Hope. How'd she get here?"

"She showed up outside the city. Is she a Clover?"

"No," I answered quickly. "She's not part of any of that. She runs the library."

"Mm," Zan hummed out. "That's where you found all the books you love to read. You're close to her?"

I bit my tongue, surprise rocking me that he remembered what I'd told him. Asami's gaze landed on me, and she gave me a soft smile as she stood from the bar stool. My heart clenched, a tear threatening to escape as I crossed the room. Her comforting scent engulfed me as she pulled me into a hug. I choked back a cry as I squeezed her tightly.

Seeing her had memories slamming into me. My old life. Other than Warner, she was the only person I cared about. Ever since Zan had brought me back here, I hadn't let myself think of her. Or Warner. It only hurt to think about them when I had no idea if I'd see them again.

"What are you doing here?" I mumbled, not letting her go. "How did you get out of the city?"

"I saw you the day you came back to Project Hope," she said softly. "With all three of them. You dropped down into a tunnel to leave the city. Once it was clear, I went and explored."

"And you decided to come into a city full of vampires?" Viggo drawled, cocking his head. "By yourself? Not smart."

I pulled away from her, giving Viggo a warning look. "Don't threaten her."

Asami sucked in a quick breath, and I glanced at her, taking in the shock covering her face. Her eyes darted between Viggo and me, and I realized my words were the cause of her reaction. Speaking to a vampire like that wasn't something she was used to. My stomach knotted. I was far too comfortable living here with the Kane brothers.

"Why are you here?" Zan asked, crossing his arms.

"I wanted to see Kali," Asami answered, her voice wavering slightly. "I miss her."

"That's it?" Pax's voice was full of skepticism. "You snuck through the woods and came here just to see her?"

"I had no idea where she was," she said tightly. "But I watched you take Tim into the tunnel. I guessed you weren't staying far away."

"You're lucky PARA didn't catch you," I breathed out.

Asami wasn't with the Clovers. She didn't have training or the skills to be outside the city. I was in shock that she was here.

"Can we talk?" she asked, her gaze drifting to Zan. "Alone?"

"Sure," Zan said smoothly, speaking up before I could. "You two stay here and have a drink. You've got a little less than an hour before this place opens. Enjoy."

He nodded to the twins, and without another word, the three of them headed back toward the stairs. Asami's lips parted, her eyes wide as they disappeared around the corner.

I rolled my eyes. "They did that for their benefit."

She turned her attention to me. "What?"

I tapped my ear. "We're never alone here."

Understanding hit her face, and she nodded as she sat back down on the bar stool. Zan didn't want me taking her to his room where he wouldn't be able to listen. The soundproof back rooms were always locked, which meant there was nowhere I could go to have a private conversation with Asami.

"It's so good to see you," she said, giving me a warm smile.

I sank down onto the stool next to her. "How did you know I wasn't a vampire?"

"I knew," she said simply.

The back of my neck prickled like it always did when Asami spoke like that. She seemed to have a deeper understanding of everything. Like she knew things that others didn't. A sixth sense or something like that.

I cleared my throat. "How's the city?"

"Tense." She reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing it. "PARA is on edge about something. Do you think they know about this city? That vampires are here?"

I nodded. "They raided it a while ago. They know."

She stared past me thoughtfully. "They'll come back, then. They can't have a city of vampires this close."

I'd already guessed that. Zan and his brothers didn't seem worried about PARA attacking anytime soon, so I didn't let it bother me. It wasn't like I'd be able to do anything about it anyway.

"How's the library?" I asked quietly. "I miss visiting you."

"It's slow," she murmured. "There's a new curfew in effect. Everyone has to be in their homes by six every night. It doesn't give much time for people to come in after work." She paused, looking at the cages. "Are you happy here, Kali?"

I let out a laugh. "Happy? I'm in a world of vampires. They think I'm one of them. Well, except the three you just met and one other. They know I'm human. I've been using the lotion to mask my scent."

"You don't look completely miserable."

"It's not terrible," I said carefully, knowing Zan was listening to every word. "But I'm stuck here, Asami. I'm in so deep that there's no leaving." I dropped my voice to a whisper. "I met Amaros Kane."

Her eyes met mine, shock and fear flashing in them. "Why?"

I didn't respond right away. I couldn't tell her that Zan and the twins were Kanes. If she knew their secrets, they wouldn't let her leave.

"PARA is keeping things from civilians," I stated, changing the subject. "There's so much I've learned since being here."

"I know that already, Kali." She let go of my hand. "The government is just as secretive as vampires."

"Did you really come here just to see me?"

"I wanted to give you something." She pulled the small satchel off her shoulder and dropped it onto the bar counter. "Remember my room under the library?"

"Of course I do." I'd spent hours down there, reading articles and newspapers from before the war. Fiction books that the government had banned.

"Here." She pulled out a stack of yellowing papers, setting it gently on the counter. "I want you to have these."

I eyed the paperwork, nerves fluttering in my stomach. "What are they?"

"Just read them when you can," she said, an edge of desperation in her voice. "I think it'll help you, Kali."

"Help me with what?"

"What did I tell you years ago?"

"You've told me a lot."

"The uprising, Kali." She drummed her fingers on the bar as she spoke. "It's going to happen. Soon."

I frowned. "How do you know that?"

"I just do. Things are changing, and not for the better." She sighed and then forced a smile on her lips. "I think you're here for a reason. That you're part of the future."

This wasn't the first time she'd said something like that, and like always, I didn't know how to answer. Her confidence about it made me uneasy. Asami was never unsure of her opinions. She believed what she said wholeheartedly.

"I'm just trying to survive," I finally mumbled.

"There is a balance to everything in this life." Her phrase wasn't new. It was something she used to say often. "It can't be disturbed, no matter which forces try."

Before I could reply, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, and I turned to see Zan stepping out of the hall. Had he even gone upstairs? But he wasn't focused on me. He was staring at Asami, a puzzled expression on his face until he realized I was watching him. His blank mask went back up, but he still stared at Asami.

"Where did you hear that?" he asked, his voice dangerously soft.

Asami's face paled slightly as she watched him creep closer. "Hear what?"

I stood up, feeling the tension radiating off him. "It's rude to eavesdrop, Zan."

"You knew I was listening," he replied, not taking his eyes off Asami. "I want to know more about this balance you're talking about. The one that can't be disturbed. Where did you hear that?"

"Oh." Asami chuckled nervously. "That. It's something talked about in many circles."

Zan halted a few feet away. "Really? Because I've only heard it once. Years ago."

Asami stood up, putting on a brave face. "That's interesting. Vampires don't usually talk about it. Where did you hear it from?"

"A human," Zan answered stiffly. "She wasn't in a good state of mind. It was gibberish. At least I thought so. Until you just said pretty much the same thing. I want to know if you knew her."

"You'd have to tell me her name."

I watched them both, confusion rippling through me. Other than when he was focused on me, I'd never seen Zan this intense about something. His lips were pressed in a firm line, and it was obvious he didn't want to open up to Asami. But he must have wanted answers more, because he finally responded.

"I don't know her name. I was a kid," he said tightly. "But her words were nearly identical to yours."

Asami licked her lips, glancing at me for a second before looking back at Zan. "It's not new. Circles of people have been talking about it for decades."

"Who?" I spoke up. "What are you talking about, Asami?"

"When the world found out that vampires existed, it was a scary time," she explained. "Chaotic. Our beliefs about everything were put into question. If the monsters of the night were real, then what else was out there? And for those who already believed in the unusual, they wanted to find answers." She hesitated. "I have been part of a large group like that since before the war even started."

"A group?" I questioned, studying her.

Zan chuckled. "I get it now. You're one of those."

I crossed my arms, looking at him. "One of what?"

Asami tsked. "So skeptical. Just like every other vampire."

The humor faded from Zan's features, and he scowled. "Don't forget where you are."

Asami stiffened, taking a large step back, as if remembering who she was talking to. I stepped closer to him, putting Asami behind me.

"Zan," I said in a low voice. "Don't."

His eyes snapped to mine, a muscle in his jaw ticking. "I'm not going to hurt her, Kali."

I froze, my gaze staying on him. I wasn't even worried about him hurting her. It hadn't crossed my mind. Why? Because I believed Zan wouldn't hurt anyone I cared about—like Warner. He'd let him go. For me. It probably wasn't the best idea to put that much faith in a Kane vampire. Yet here I was. Asami stepped up beside me, and I turned my head to see her studying me intently.

"You two…" She trailed off, looking at Zan. "There's something between you."

Zan's smug grin caught me off guard. "See, Kali? Even strangers can tell you don't hate me."

"Asami isn't a stranger to me," I muttered. "She's my friend."

"Your friend has interesting beliefs," Zan replied, returning to the prior conversation. "Looking at the rest of the world like we're skeptics."

"Skeptics of what?" I asked, growing impatient as I tried to figure out what he was talking about.

"Vampires are arrogant creatures," Asami said, no judgment in her voice. "They can't possibly believe that there are other things that roam the earth."

"There are humans who believe in magic," Zan grated out. "Natural magic. Crystals, full moons, eclipses. They think it all plays a part in the larger picture."

"Like witches?" I asked.

Asami shook her head. "No. We don't believe in magic like that. We don't practice magic. We believe that everything in nature is balanced. Vampires exist for a reason. Other things probably do too. But like everything else, there has to be a balance, or vampires would take over everything."

I gaped at her, unable to fully process what she was saying. I'd known her for nearly my entire life, and this was the first time she'd ever said anything like this.

"Or the world just exists as it is," Zan retorted. "Vampires exist just like humans, and that's it."

Asami tilted her head. "If you believe that, then why are you so curious about the woman who mentioned nature's balance?"

"I didn't connect it to that belief." Zan shook his head. "If that's the case, then we can drop it. That doesn't interest me."

I wasn't sure whether he was telling the truth, but I was curious. I wanted to know the woman Zan was talking about. But now wasn't the time to ask.

"I need to get back to Project Hope." Asami pulled me into another hug. "Read those papers. It was so good to see you, Kali."

I almost asked if she wanted to stay. But clearly, she didn't. Even if she did, this wasn't the kind of life she'd enjoy.

"You can't go back alone," I said, worry settling in my chest. "Not when it's almost dark."

"How do we know she's not going to run back and tell PARA about this?" Zan asked gruffly.

"Tell them what?" I snapped. "She doesn't know anything. PARA already knows about this place. And Asami wouldn't do that. She might not be a Clover, but she's not with the government either."

We stared at each other for a few seconds before he let out a sigh.

"The twins will take her back," he grumbled. "But only to the tunnel."

"Thank you," I said quietly.

Asami was watching our exchange with interest but didn't comment on it as she gave me one last hug.

"Be careful, Kali," she whispered in my ear. "Things in this world are changing. And I think I was right about my feeling all those years ago—that you're right in the middle of it."