29. Kali

My steps were hesitant as I followed Zan through the tall grass. We'd left the main house as soon as the sun set and loaded into a vehicle before driving on a dirt path through the trees. Now we were walking, and I couldn't stop the nerves that were drowning me. I knew we were still on the property, since I'd seen pieces of the high wall that seemed to encircle this place.

For the entire day, Zan and I had stayed in a huge bedroom that was just as elegant as the rest of that house. From what I gathered, it used to be his childhood bedroom, but there was nothing personal in there that showed it was his. The paintings on the walls resembled the others throughout the house. He didn't want to answer any questions, and I quickly figured out that the room wasn't soundproofed. It had been an agonizing eleven hours. I was supposed to sleep, but how could I do that when I was here? Maybe I should have. Because now I was ridiculously tired. My body was heavy, and my eyes burned from the lack of sleep.

At least the food here was decent. Amaros had human cooks here to make whatever the vampires wanted. Anger burned through my veins at that. Humans in cities were living on scraps while the monsters here ate like damn kings.

I lost my train of thought when the trees ended, and I was staring at a cement wall. Zan stood beside me with his hands in his pockets. He didn't look surprised to see the four vampires standing guard in front of a wide door. It seemed like a prison.

"What is this place?" I asked under my breath, lifting the lantern. The cement wall of the building spanned for as far as I could see on either side. If I had to guess, it might be larger than the house I stayed in last night.

"The Pen," he answered, sounding reluctant. "You need to stay right beside me the entire time we're in here."

"Why didn't Pax and Viggo come with us?"

Zan turned his head, looking at something in the darkness. "I wasn't aware you were joining us."

My face paled when Amaros stepped into the light of my lantern. Behind him was a woman. A human, I was guessing, and if the blank stare was anything to go by, she was entranced.

"It's been a while since I've been here," Amaros replied with a smirk that had my pulse thudding. "I'm glad you listened and brought Kali."

My eyes cut to Zan, but he didn't even look at me. This was his father's idea? What the hell was in this giant-looking prison? My breaths came out faster, and I tried to calm myself. I was so out of my element here, and I fucking hated it. I had the stake in my boot, something Zan knew. But my little weapon was nothing compared to the monsters surrounding me.

Amaros glanced at his son, as if waiting for him to go first. "Shall we?"

When I moved to follow Zan, a hand caught me above the elbow and yanked me back. Bile rose in my throat as I glared at Amaros. He didn't release me, and I was smart enough not to fight his hold. Zan looked over his shoulder, his eyes growing hard when he saw Amaros's hand on me. His jaw clenched, and it seemed like he was going to say something for a moment before he turned back around and headed to the entrance.

"You want Zan to go first. It's safer if you stay near me." Amaros didn't explain why, but he kept me close to his side as the four vampires stepped to the side before Zan unlocked the door.

I swallowed my protest when Amaros snatched the lantern in my hand before striding forward and dragging me with him. He handed the light to one of the vampires before we moved through the doorway that Zan had already entered. The human woman trailed behind us, and once we were all inside, the door slammed shut, leaving us in the pitch black.

There were a couple of clicking noises, and when a slice of light appeared, I realized there was another door in front of us. Zan opened it wider before walking farther. The room in front of us was bathed in soft light, and when Amaros led me forward, I took in my new surroundings with my heart pounding almost painfully.

My guess about it being some kind of prison was right.

The entire building seemed to be all one room. It was so large that I couldn't even see the back. But it wasn't the size that had me in shock. It was the fact that there were hundreds—maybe thousands—of pairs of eyes watching us. Narrow bunk beds that were three beds high were in neat rows that took up most of the space. Some of the people were lying on them, while others were standing. All of them were standing completely still while watching us.

There was something off in here. The atmosphere was…ominous. My fear ran rampant, and I caught myself trying to move closer to Zan until I remembered that Amaros was still holding on to me. My heart lurched. I was scared, and my first thought was to go to Zan.

"Careful, Kali," Amaros murmured, tugging me closer to him. "They can smell you. You don't have that lotion on."

They were vampires? Why were they in this building being guarded? Goose bumps ran down my skin when I caught the eye of one of them. She cocked her head, her nostrils flaring. Zan stepped to the left, blocking me as much as he could. But there were so many of them in here that it was impossible to get out of view of all of them.

"Leave her alone," Zan ordered, his voice cold and deadly. "She is not here for any of you."

At his command, many of the vampires lost interest and began milling around. But more than half of them didn't move. They kept staring at me, and at the woman behind me. Unlike the vampires in Deadwood, these didn't seem to listen to demands as well.

I glanced around, not seeing any windows. The walls were the same gray cement as the outside. The place was clean, but I spotted dark stains in some places on the concrete floor that looked like old blood. I sucked in a breath, noticing how stale the air was. Did they ever go outside?

"Did Zan tell you what this place was?" Amaros asked.

I turned to meet his green eyes. Fuck, Zan looked so much like him. I wasn't sure how I could detest him so much while I felt so differently about his son. I'd barely spoken a word to Amaros since we arrived, and I planned to keep it that way. But my curiosity was too much to ignore. "No."

"This is how we'll win the next war."

A chill ripped down my spine, and I took a step back. He allowed me to move but kept a tight grip on my arm. The fact that he was telling me this only further cemented my place here. Amaros was convinced I was never leaving, and I had a feeling he always got what he wanted.

"You had vampires for the last war," I bit out. "And you didn't exactly win that one."

He chuckled, his eyes gleaming dangerously. "They're not vampires."

Zan sighed and turned to look at me before he glanced at his father's hand that was still on my arm. "They're Shadows, Kali."

I couldn't have hidden my shock if I wanted. My gaze swept across the room again, looking at all the faces. They had black blood. Like Zan. And his brothers. Like all the people who disappeared when they turned twenty-five. I squirmed slightly, remembering my birthday was coming soon. What if I was one of them?

I cleared my throat. "Why are they in here?"

"Shadows are different." Amaros finally released me so he could reach for the woman he'd brought. "Come here, sweetheart."

His term of endearment sent a shudder through me, and I scrambled out of Amaros's reach, only to slam into Zan. His hands landed on my hips, and he leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"Stay beside me," he said, his voice harsh. "Do not go near any of them."

I knew almost everyone in here had heard his words. I caught the eye of a Shadow, and he smirked, his gaze dropping to my feet before slowly trailing back up. Danger. Rage. This room was saturated with it. Just like with vampires, I would never want to turn my back on any Shadow in this room.

"Zan," Amaros said impatiently. "Let's go."

Keeping his hand on my waist, we moved toward Amaros and the woman. Then the four of us walked farther into the room until we were in an open area near the center. The Shadows surrounded us, making panic jolt through my veins. There were so many of them. And if they were as strong as Zan, then we were severely outnumbered. Zan and his father didn't look concerned, and I attempted to keep my face cold as I warily watched the Shadows who were creeping closer.

A cry brought my attention back in front of me, and my eyes widened when I saw Amaros sinking his fangs into the woman he'd brought. The small noise she made was her only outward sign that she was in pain. She wasn't trying to escape or run away. Her eyes were open, and she stared at the ceiling as Amaros drank from her.

Until a Shadow lunged forward.

His curly black hair hung past his ears, and he was maybe only an inch or two taller than me. He looked young—I knew all Shadows turned at twenty-five, but this one still had boyish features. But the lethal look in his eyes contradicted his sweet appearance. His fangs were already in view, and without a look at Amaros, he lowered his head and bit into the other side of the woman's throat.

Amaros lifted his mouth, blood dripping down his chin. "Stand down. This one is mine."

The black-haired vampire didn't listen and continued to feed as if he were starved. The woman was nearly sagging in Amaros's arms, and my heart swelled with pity. Another human who would die at the hands of vampires.

But I also couldn't smother my shock. This Shadow was standing up to Amaros Kane. Openly disobeying a direct order. Zan was watching intently while staying at my side.

"Stop," Amaros demanded, his voice low and full of danger. "Now."

The Shadow ignored him again, and this time, Amaros grabbed him by the hair and ripped him away. The Shadow's fangs tore through the woman's throat, and her blood gushed out. The crowd surrounding us grew thicker, most of the Shadows staring at the pooling crimson puddle on the floor.

The Shadow let out a snarl and then lunged at Amaros. I stood there frozen, unable to tear my eyes away as they fought. I knew that some vampires might challenge the Kanes, but in the time I'd spent in this world, I'd never seen anything like this. Vampires feared the Kanes. Shadows clearly did not.

But as they fought, I could tell that Amaros was only playing with the Shadow. Zan hadn't been lying about his father's strength. Shadows were more powerful than the regular vampires. But against Amaros? This one didn't stand a chance. Amaros expertly dodged all the attacks, and then he went on the offensive. He was so quick that it was hard to follow his moves. One second, they were a couple of feet from each other, and the next, Amaros had his arm around the Shadow's neck.

A sickening crack filled the air when Amaros snapped his neck. The Shadow slumped to the concrete, falling in the woman's blood. A broken neck wouldn't kill him, but I wasn't sure how long it would take for him to wake up. Amaros fixed his shirt, keeping his eye on the Shadows who were slowly closing in on him.

Zan strode forward until he was standing next to his father. "Do you need a reminder of what happens when you disobey? Stand down."

The tension crackled in the room as most of the Shadows turned their attention to Zan. But unlike when Amaros spoke, they listened to Zan. Nearly all of them backed up with scowls on their faces. The few stragglers hastily retreated when Zan stepped toward them.

Before I could even process that, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I was so stuck on what was happening that I wasn't watching my own back. There were at least ten Shadows who were nearly within arm's reach of me. My breath caught in my chest, and I whirled around, putting Zan at my back instead of the Shadows.

"Human?" one of the female Shadows purred, inching closer to me. She reached for me, and I smacked her arm away.

"Don't touch me," I hissed, keeping my voice strong.

"I swear to fuck, Dad," Zan growled from behind me. "Let me go."

"She's fine," Amaros responded tightly. "Let it play out."

I didn't dare take my eyes off the Shadows to look at Zan. Fear slid through my limbs when he didn't appear beside me. Did Amaros want me dead? The female Shadow cocked her head, watching me curiously. Her dirty-blond hair was in a ponytail, and she played with the ends as she exchanged a look with another Shadow. And then they both sauntered closer. I stood my ground, keeping my spine straight. I nearly reached for the stake in my boot, but there was no way that would help me in this moment. Not against this many of them.

The blonde sniffed, her questioning gaze staying on my throat. "What a gift. Two humans in one night?"

The other Shadow grabbed my wrist, yanking me toward them. I let out a yell, swinging my arm on instinct. I caught him in the throat, but it did absolutely nothing to deter either of them.

"Stop," Zan roared, his tone full of fury. "None of you will fucking touch her."

Amaros must still have been holding Zan back because neither of them came to my rescue. I was smashed between two Shadows while many others circled me.

"She smells…different," the blonde murmured.

I slammed my hands against her chest to try and shove her away, but she didn't budge. Panic clawed inside my chest from being surrounded. These Shadows were predators just like vampires. They were worse than vampires because they were deadlier.

"Who cares? I'm fucking starving," the one who was standing behind me replied, hunger in his voice.

Zan was still yelling demands that the Shadows were ignoring. But they weren't attacking. Which only confused me, putting me more on edge. They weren't holding me, but I couldn't escape when I was crushed between two of them. My chest heaved, and I locked gazes with the blonde in front of me.

"Back away," I snarled, letting anger cover my panic. "I am not a fucking meal. Get the hell away from me."

Silence fell over the room as I stayed in the stare-off with the female Shadow. Questions lingered in her gaze, and her lips pressed together as she scowled. Shock tore through me when she took a small step back. Then another. The circle broke apart as more Shadows moved away from me. I whirled around, eyeing the Shadow who was behind me.

"You too," I snapped. "Get the fuck away from me."

He hesitated for a few moments, and over his shoulder, I saw Zan ripping away from Amaros's hold. The Shadow finally retreated, his eyes lingering on mine as he joined the others who were farther back. Zan rushed forward, not stopping until his arm was around my waist and I was pressed to his side. But it was Amaros I was focused on. Because he was staring at me so intently that I couldn't suppress the nerves jolting through my veins.

"Come on," Zan murmured, leading me toward the door we'd entered through. I glanced over my shoulder to see Amaros following us. And all the Shadows swooped down on the woman's body, tearing into her flesh wherever they could. I was grateful she was already dead and didn't have to endure that.

After exiting through the two doors, I sucked in the fresh air, and I realized my hands were trembling. I crossed my arms, not wanting Amaros to see how shaken I was. We passed the vampires who were standing guard, and Zan didn't slow down until we were near the truck we'd taken here.

"You okay?" he asked when we finally stopped.

"Look at her," Amaros drawled from behind me. "She's fine. She shouldn't be. Yet here she stands without so much as one bite mark."

I turned around, and Zan moved behind me, his hand never leaving my hip. His grip was tight, as if he physically couldn't let me go. Amaros was standing a few feet away, and I could barely see him in the moonlight.

"How old are you?" he murmured, an edge of threat in his voice.

"Twenty-five," I lied, going along with what Zan had told him last time.

In an instant, he was right in front of me, grabbing my jaw and tipping up my face. His fingers dug into my cheeks, and he leaned closer until his eyes met mine. Dread claimed me when I realized what he was trying to do. I squeezed my eyes shut, refusing to let him catch my gaze long enough to try to entrance me. My tattoo protected me, but what if it wasn't enough against his power?

"Dad," Zan bit out as he stayed behind me with his hands on my waist. "Don't."

"I've kept my distance out of respect for you, son," he growled. "Do not fucking push me right now. She had hawthorn weeks ago. It should be gone."

I tried jerking my face from his hold, but he only tightened his grip. My eyes were still shut, and I hated not having my sight, but I still didn't open them.

"Don't fight me, Kali," he ordered sharply. "I'm doing this the nice way for Zan's sake. If you do not comply, I'll take you back to the house and do this differently."

Terror clung to me, but I listened, opening my eyes and meeting his stare, letting my loathing for him fill my gaze. I'd rather he find out about my tattoo with Zan at my back than be dragged into that house, where Amaros would most likely torture me.

Amaros didn't say a word, his gaze making me feel so vulnerable that I wanted nothing more than to try and run away. His grip prevented that.

"I can't entrance you," he finally said, a frown on his lips. "How the hell is that possible?"

"She has hawthorn inked into her skin," Zan grated out. "I just found out about it."

"It must be an enormous amount to keep me out of her head." His eyes trailed to my body. "Where is it?"

"On my back," I said stiffly.

"Fucking Clovers," he spat out. "Thinking they can find ways to best us. How many others have tattoos?"

"I don't know."

His eyes flashed dangerously at my answer. "Take your best guess."

"A couple dozen."

"Really?" he mused, anger still gleaming in his gaze. "The Clovers and other groups like them are nothing when it comes to the larger picture. But knowing some can't be entranced…that could become a problem. We need to fix that, Zan."

"We're working on it," Zan ground out. "They're spread out. Some are in human cities. Finding them has been difficult."

"Your age, Kali." He returned to the original conversation. "No lies."

"Twenty-five."

He released my jaw and backed up a step. I blew out a breath, my stomach churning painfully as I glared at him.

"Now, that's interesting." His eyes flicked behind me to Zan. "Have you told her anything about Shadows?"

Zan paused. "Not yet."

"Let me explain, then." Amaros crossed his arms. "Unlike vampires, I can't control Shadows. They don't follow my orders. Which is why they're locked away for now. Until they can be beneficial to me. They would never bow to humans either, which is why PARA kills them. They're a liability, even if their blood possesses the gift of healing."

I stayed silent, taking in his words. It made sense. But why was he telling me?

"Shadows will only listen to their own," he continued, glancing at Zan. "My son has been training to lead them. But even he has trouble."

Ice filled my veins, and I went rigid. Zan didn't say anything, but his grip on my hips tightened. He was leading the Shadows? For what? Another war? The blood drained from my face when I realized that it wouldn't be Amaros heading up the fight against humans. It would be Zan.

"But as you witnessed, Shadows don't obey Zan fully either." Amaros sighed. "They listen to him more than anyone else, but only because he's been working on it for years."

I frowned, not understanding where he was going with this. He just said that Shadows only listen to their own. Zan had black blood, and he was a Kane. So what was the problem?

"You were surrounded by them. They only get fresh blood on rare occasions, meaning their urges to feed should overwhelm any other thought." Amaros snatched my arm, pulling it toward him. "Yet they listened to you. Which makes me wonder…"

I hissed out a breath when he sliced my wrist open with his nail. My red blood trickled out, and Zan muttered something under his breath that I couldn't catch.

"Yes, Zan, I trust you," Amaros murmured, his eyes staying on my wrist. "But you can't deny that the Shadows' reaction to her made me question things."

The second his hold relaxed, I pulled my arm away from him, pressing my palm against the small wound.

"I'll see you two later." With that, Amaros strolled away, whistling softly. "Have a good rest of your night."

I had a feeling this conversation wasn't over. This entire Shadow thing was making my head spin, and I wanted to question Zan about it all. Once we were alone, without prying ears, I was going to have him explain it all.