Page 100 of Bite of Vengeance

“What are you doing?” Keeva asked in a harsh whisper.

“Bringing us together.” I stared at her. “You want Amaros? Then we have to work together. He’s too powerful for me or you to go after him alone.”

Her jaw clenched as we looked at each other in silence. Raindrops rolled down her face as I saw her internal struggle. Whatever Rowan had told her over the years was making it nearly impossible for her to trust me…but maybe our connection was just enough for her to see clarity.

Finally, she nodded tightly. “Amaros needs to be stopped.”

I grinned, swallowing my nerves. Even if she agreed with me, I couldn’t let her all the way in. At least not yet. It was impossible not to see how she looked at Zan. She hated him, along with all the Kanes. She’d been taught that I was the enemy. It would take more than just tonight for us to understand each other.

Even with the pouring rain, screams and noises of fighting drifted through the air from inside the city. Amaros’s vampires must have gotten here.

“There is a building there that houses all the Shadows. Most of them are still in there right now,” Keeva informed me, unease in her voice. “And it’s where your blood is stored. If he finds it…”

She trailed off as ice flowed through my veins. If he found my blood, he could use it against the Shadows.

“No going after PARA,” she continued sharply. “We’re also going to get Rowan, and you and the Kane you’re in love with won’t fucking touch him.”

I bit down on my tongue. There was no way Rowan was going to walk away after what he did to Zan and me. But we didn’t have to worry about that tonight. Right now, Amaros was the target.

“Let’s go.” I spoke loudly, turning my attention back to the Shadows. “Amaros Kane and his vampires are the enemy. We are stronger together. It’s what we were born to do. To keep the balance. A balance that the vampires are threatening.”

Murmurs in agreement ran through the Shadows as Zan and his brothers stared at me and Keeva. My heart thrashed when I met Zan’s eyes. This was it. He’d made it clear over and over that he would choose me over his father. So had his brothers. But Viggo could still be under entrancement, which would make things difficult. Who knew what Amaros did to Zan in the last ten hours since he’d been brought to his father.

But between the Shadows who came with me and the Shadows with Keeva, I wasn’t worried. Amaros would fall.

Tonight.

Chapter 40

Kali

“Go,” Keeva shouted as Shadows climbed over the rubble where the high walls had stood only minutes ago. Some of it was still burning, but the heavy rain was putting it out quickly. I swiped a hand over my face, getting the water out of my eyes. Rya flanked my side, and I stayed close to Zan until he halted.

He cursed loudly, his body rigid. “I have to go find my dad.”

“What?” I asked in panic.

“He ordered me to find him after coming into the city,” he ground out.

“Then we’ll go with you,” Keeva said firmly. “He’s who we want.”

Viggo eyed her suspiciously as we climbed over the broken stones. “I don’t like this. She kept you two for weeks and tortured both of you. The second Rowan is free?—”

“I want Amaros dead,” Keeva cut in. “Just like Kali.”

Zan glared at her. “I don’t trust you either. You won’t be going anywhere with Kali alone.”

Another explosion from inside the city interrupted our tense conversation. My eyes widened in shock when I spotted anapartment building on fire. Amaros wasn’t just going after PARA. He was killing civilians too. My chest heaved when terrified screams reached my ears.

Vampires were running through the streets, clashing with PARA soldiers who were pouring out of buildings. Innocent people were escaping their ruined homes, still wearing their pajamas. The rain had people slipping on the grass as their panic took hold.

“The Shadows’ building is over there.” Keeva pointed to the left. “It’s at the edge of the city, right on the cliff.”

“Cliff?” I repeated.

“The ocean, Kali,” Pax responded. “We’re right near it. I can smell the salt.”

He must be more in tune with his senses than me, because all I could smell was the blood of vampires and humans fighting around us.

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