Page 6 of Bite of Vengeance

“We’re going home,” he told her, the threat evident in his voice. “And you’re going to do exactly what I want. Do you understand?”

My chest constricted, watching complete loathing enter her glare. I was so damn helpless. I’d been trying to come up with a way to get her away from Amaros, but my father had barely let me out of his sight ever since we came back to Impulse. And since he knew she was the baby who somehow disappeared from his property twenty-five years ago, he was never going to let her go. I still had no idea what any of it meant. Or why it appeared that Kali had an identical twin.

Kali’s body was trembling, anger rolling off her in waves. Her eyes were so dark, they were nearly black as she glowered at Amaros. Gia was watching her intently, a puzzled frown on her lips. My father’s reaction was the most worrisome. He was staring at Kali with an almost giddy expression, and I had to force myself to stay still as he sauntered closer toward her.

She lifted her chin, rage spewing from every part of her. Fuck me, I could almost feel it. And from how my brothers were looking at her, I wasn’t the only one who noticed.

“Look at you,” Amaros murmured as he raised his hand toward her face. He was moving much slower than usual, almostas if he wanted her to snatch his wrist—which she did a second before he was about to grab her jaw.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” she snarled, threat deepening her voice.

Shock hit me like a brick when she pushed his arm back slightly. It was only an inch or so, and I wondered if Amaros was using his full strength against her. There was no way.

A second later, he twisted out of her hold with ease, gripping her chin before she had a chance to react. Anger ripped through me, and a growl vibrated my chest as I forced myself to stay still.

“So much power,” Amaros said, admiration in his voice. “And you’ve only just begun your transition. It’s going to be so much fun to see what you’re capable of. There was only so much we could test on your mother since she was pregnant with you and your sister.”

Kali’s eyes grew round as she froze. “My mother? And I don’t have a sister.”

“You want to know more about her?” Amaros asked. “Then you’ll listen to me.” His hand dropped from her face, and he turned to focus on Gia. “You’ll come too. I want your help keeping an eye on her and Warner.”

Gia shot him a wide smile. “Of course, Amaros.”

Kali scrambled away when he lunged toward Gia, wrapping his hand tightly in her hair before wrenching her head back. She didn’t wince or make a noise, but I was rooted in place from shock. My brothers were wearing identical faces of disbelief as our father pushed Gia against the counter, keeping his hand in her hair. He’d never treated her this way. She’d been with him longer than any of us had been alive.

“Do not fail me again, Gia,” he growled.

“I won’t,” she promised, managing to keep a small smile on her face.

“This entire situation is happening because you lost Kali when she was a baby.” He tilted her head back farther. “It was your job to watch her and Pandora. Yet, somehow a newborn baby slipped away right under your fucking nose.”

“I’ve apologized over and over, Amaros,” Gia said breathlessly. “I have no idea how it happened. I’m sorry.”

Oh my fuck.It was rare for me to feel guilt. But right now, it was swarming me as I stared at Gia. She took the fall for something my brothers and I did. I knew without a doubt Amaros’s punishment was probably worse than death.

“Pandora?” Kali whispered, curiosity brimming in her eyes. “Is that my mother?”

“Yes,” Amaros clipped out. “Viggo, go tell Jasper we’re leaving. He can bring the truck around. You and Pax will stay here and continue to make the plan to get into Project Hope.”

He let go of Gia to grab a bottle of whiskey to pour himself a drink. His eyes landed on me for a second, and I prepared myself for an argument. If he was going to try to make me stay here while he took Kali, he was very fucking mistaken.

“You’ll come back to the property with us, Zan,” he said, his words putting me at ease slightly. “I want her in the Pen to see how the Shadows react to her now that she transitioned.”

I jerked a nod, ignoring Kali’s burning stare. Amaros strode closer, an unsettling look in his eye. I didn’t even realize what he was doing until it was too late. The invisible bands of his entrancement wrapped around me and squeezed tightly. I couldn’t move a muscle, and I let out a grunt as I tried to fight it. But I couldn’t keep my father out of my damn head. My thoughts turned hazy as he began speaking.

“You will not sleep with Kali,” he ordered, saying it slowly. “You will not fuck her. No sex.”

He released me from his entrancement, and I blinked as anger tore through me. Amaros stepped back, taking another swig of his whiskey.

“What the hell?” Pax snapped, outrage lining his face. “That’s fucked, Dad.”

“No,” he replied simply. “It’s necessary. If this bond between Shadows is true, then I can’t chance it. I need my son to have loyalty tome.” He arched an eyebrow, his gaze going to my closed fists. “Be careful, Zan. I could have done much worse. I only demanded one thing. Don’t make me change my mind.”

I pressed my lips together, not trusting my voice. Anger rippled through me, and I glared at my father, feeling a creeping hatred I never had for him before.

Kali had slowly made her way to Warner, and she was glancing at him out of the corner of her eye as if trying to find the changes of him being made a vampire. But he was still practically human. His feelings and mind hadn’t changed yet. And I had a feeling it wouldn’t when it came to her. They had a family bond—something I was positive would stay once he transitioned fully to a vampire. His loyalty would be to Kali over anything or anyone else.

For once, it didn’t bother me. I embraced it. Kali would need all the help she could get once we were back at Amaros’s property.

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