30. Zan

"They didn't bite her?" Pax asked again, his brows furrowed.

I glanced at Kali, who was standing in front of the large windows, staring at the stars. There was no one in the rotunda except the four of us. It had been two days since I'd taken Kali to the Pen, and it was the first time I'd been able to talk to my brothers. They'd just gotten back from surveying the area around Project Peace. Amaros was determined to go through with his plan tomorrow night.

I really didn't want to deal with it, but I wasn't complaining. Amaros was so busy planning the invasion that he wasn't focused on Kali. Right now, he wasn't even on the property. And I'd sent all the other vampires away from the rotunda so I could speak to my brothers. But we still had to be careful, just in case anyone was listening.

"No," I answered slowly. "She told the Shadows to get away from her. And they did."

Viggo shook his head. "Fucking unbelievable. They tried taking our heads when Pax and I walked in there a couple years ago."

"I know," I muttered, my eyes staying on Kali's back.

Shadows didn't learn discipline. They fought against any type of hierarchy. Which was why they were useless in the war. They didn't give a fuck about what Amaros wanted. He was trying to change it. By using me to take control.

Before humans were aware of the existence of vampires, Shadows stayed hidden just like vampires. They were solo creatures and were perfectly happy blending into the human world. Something they easily did since they could walk in the sun. Though the population of Shadows used to be nonexistent. Older vampires let a rumor spread that male vampires couldn't mate with humans. That when they felt the urge to mate, to only do it with female vampires. It was a tale that was spun for years, making the birth of Shadows rare.

From what Amaros had told us, most vampires believed Shadows were a threat to our secret life. That humans would discover their black blood. It wasn't until the war broke out that the birth of Shadows skyrocketed. Largely because of Amaros. He wanted to build a superior army and planned to use the Shadows to do it. It wasn't working exactly how he wanted, and I could tell he was getting frustrated.

"I'm telling you, there's something about her," Viggo mumbled. "Her blood smells different. And now the Shadows act like that? I bet that come her birthday, she'll have black blood."

Pax blew out a breath. "Let's hope not."

I snagged one of Viggo's cigarettes and put it between my lips before lighting it. I'd been on edge since we got here. Going to the Pen only made it worse. If Kali was a Shadow…I didn't even want to think about it. They had a different mentality from regular vampires, and if she was one, she would be even more difficult to handle. She already hated being here, and being a Shadow would make that even worse.

"What are you going to do with her when we go to Project Peace?" Viggo asked, pulling me from my thoughts. "She sure as hell can't go with us."

"I know," I gritted out. "I'll figure it out."

I exhaled, waving away the smoke as Kali turned around. She crossed the rotunda, and her scent engulfed me as she got closer. Though it was different from usual. My gaze dropped to her body, inhaling another deep breath. Yesterday, she'd started her period. I thought I'd noticed before she did. I could smell the blood when she was sleeping. Luckily, the cooking staff consisted of human women, and they had products that I'd gotten for Kali. I'd put them in my bathroom before she woke up, and even though I knew she'd used them, she hadn't said a word about it to me.

"What are you three talking about?" she asked as she fell into the chair next to me.

"Zan's obsession," Viggo muttered under his breath before giving her a wide grin. "Nothing you need to worry about, Kali."

She rolled her eyes, and before I realized what she was doing, she snatched the cigarette from my fingers. As she moved to bring it to her mouth, I stole it back.

"That's bad for you," I growled, smashing it out in the ashtray.

She raised an eyebrow. "You were just smoking it."

"I can't die from it," I said simply. "You have human lungs."

She scoffed. "Viggo smokes around me all the time."

Viggo grabbed his pack of cigarettes off the table and stuffed them into his pocket. "Don't even think about it. I can smoke whenever I want."

She laughed lightly. "I'm not worried about that. This life is going to kill me faster anyway."

"Don't," I said firmly. "You're not going to die."

Her eyes cut to mine. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

I caught her wrist and heaved her onto my lap, ignoring her protests. She wriggled against me as I locked my arms around her.

"Do you remember the promise I made last week?" I murmured in her ear.

She tensed slightly. "Yes."

"I'm keeping that one," I whispered, brushing my lips on her cheek. "Don't forget it, Kali. Even if it seems like I'm not. Understand?"

She snapped her head to the side to look at me. "What does that mean?"

"Just don't forget it." I glanced at my brothers when they both got to their feet.

"Dad's home," Pax said out loud for Kali's benefit.

Amaros wasn't even in sight, but Kali's guard immediately rose, and she would have jumped from my lap if I wasn't holding her. I leaned over, closer to Pax, to keep my next words from leaving this room.

"Keep this room empty the rest of the night." My order had Viggo narrowing his eyes in suspicion, but he nodded anyway.

"Why?" Kali hissed in a whisper, not liking that she had no idea what was going on.

"Come on." I lifted her off me and then grabbed her hand. "I'll see you guys later."

"Zan, where are we going?" Kali snapped, fighting against my hold. "I fucking hate this. I've been in the dark ever since I came here."

"In the dark?" I echoed as we left the rotunda. "You know more about vampires than nearly any other human."

My response was for my father's ears, since I knew he could hear me. That wasn't what Kali meant, but there was nothing I could do about that. There were only a few parts of this house where we couldn't be overheard, and my bedroom wasn't one of them. I couldn't explain anything to her without my father possibly overhearing.

"Yeah, because the humans who find out these kinds of things get murdered," she muttered. We moved down the hall, and once Kali put together where we were heading, she struggled harder against me. She'd barely left my room since we'd been here, but the few times she had, she'd gone down this hall to get to the rotunda. And she knew we were heading straight for Amaros's study.

"I don't want to see him," she snapped, a tinge of fear in her voice.

"You're not," I told her calmly. "I have to talk to him. I want you to wait in here."

I opened the door, revealing a small room with a couch and a small table. It was a place for the human workers to relax without vampires around. There were a few rooms like this around the house that varied in size. The only reason Amaros agreed to this nicety was because he enjoyed the cooks and housekeepers enough that he didn't want to keep replacing them.

"I'll be back soon," I said, nodding to the couch. "No one will bother you."

"Zan. Do not leave me in here?—"

I shut the door, and then locked it when she pounded on the other side of it. I stared at the door, scrubbing a hand over my jaw. She was going to be pissed when I saw her next. For more than just locking her in the room.

But I had a plan, and this was a part of it.

I didn't knock on the study door before pushing it open and entering. Amaros was standing behind his desk with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He didn't drink often since alcohol barely affected him unless he drank a massive quantity. Which meant whatever he'd done today had put him in a shitty mood.

"You're supposed to be heading out," he said sharply. "Why are you still here?"

He expected me to be driving to one of our armories about an hour away. We needed extra supplies for his plan for Project Peace.

"Because I can feel it," I said, meeting his eyes. "It's time."

A smirk broke out across his face, and he strode toward me, handing me his whiskey. "I knew it would happen soon. I was getting worried it happened already and you missed it. I know you're not all that keen on mating."

"That was before," I answered before taking a sip of the drink. "I needed to find the right one who would be perfect for a Kane heir."

"She's not going to submit to you," he murmured, his gaze drifting to the left wall where Kali was in the room on the other side. "I see how you are with her. Protective. You care for her to an extent."

"Yes," I agreed, treading carefully. "I don't need her hating me. Stress isn't good for the body. Especially if she's going to carry my child."

He was watching me intently, as if sizing up my words. He might have a hint that I cared for her more than I let on. But in his mind, I would always choose our family first. He had no doubts about my loyalty.

Maybe he should.

Because I was lying through my fucking teeth. I wasn't feeling the urge to mate. But this was the only way I'd be able to get Kali off this property. Amaros wanted us to stay here until that happened. So I made it happen. He might be disappointed when Kali didn't get pregnant, but there would be nothing he could do except wait the number of years until I could mate again.

"Kali is a strong human." He poured himself another drink. "Mentally and physically. She'll handle a pregnancy well. But she won't accept it. She'll fight against you when you go to fuck her."

"I know."

My chest tightened, and I forced myself to keep my eyes on my father. There was a vent on the wall, and I knew from personal experience that it connected to the room next door.

Kali could hear every word of this conversation.

I wasn't sure if Amaros was aware of that. He only conducted business in the rotunda or his soundproof office. He knew there were always ears listening in this house.

But I wanted Kali to listen, which was why I'd locked her in there instead of taking her back to my bedroom. I wanted to warn her earlier, but I couldn't risk any vampire overhearing. I didn't have access to the soundproof office. Which spoke volumes about Amaros's trust. He always swore that he trusted his sons more than anything. Yet neither the twins nor I had a way to speak privately here. If my father realized this was all a lie, there would be hell to pay. I couldn't risk telling her in advance.

I really fucking hoped she didn't take my words at face value. That she realized I was telling my father what he wanted to hear. To protect her.

Amaros was expecting her to fight me. He knew that she'd never sleep with me willingly to make an heir. If she knew I was lying to him, she still needed to play the part, or he'd get suspicious. He'd be able to hear it all, and I knew he'd be listening.

He tipped his glass at me. "Go. Make me proud, son."

With a nod, I spun around and left the room.