Page 105 of Bite of Sin

“He’s a fucking Kane,” Warner snarled. “Who kept you on a leash and me in a cage for two weeks. How can you forget that?”

“I don’t know,” I mumbled, guilt squeezing my heart. “It was a mistake.”

Even as I spoke those words, my brain was refuting them. It didn’t feel like a mistake when Zan was in my bed. It feltright. My heart dipped. I couldn’t think like that. I’d never see Zan again, and whatever the hell my tangled emotions were, I needed to shove them deep down and forget. Warner was my family. This group was my life. Vampires were the reason we were living like this. They had started the war that lasted nearly two decades. I needed to remember that. And after overhearing Amaros, it sounded like they were still plotting against humans. Zan was a part of that.

Zan was the enemy. He always would be.

There was a knock at the door, and Warner stepped away from me, pulling it open. Matt stood there, his reddish blond hair sticking up everywhere. He must have been sleeping when everything went down. His hazel eyes darted around the room nervously before he looked at Warner.

“Paul is waiting for you two at the truck,” he informed us. “I have to do something, and I’ll meet you at the cabin in a day or two.”

“Have to do what?” I asked, wondering why Garrett hadn’t mentioned anything.

“Get word to Tim and Jill about what happened.”

“You’re going alone?” Warner asked doubtfully. “We can come with you—”

“I’ve done this trip alone tons of times,” Matt interrupted. “I’ll be fine. I’m taking a bike.”

Without waiting for an answer, Matt turned around and disappeared down the hall. Warner took a deep breath, still facing the door.

“I have to grab a bag,” he said quietly. “I’ll meet you at the truck.”

He left my room, and I stared at the empty doorway. I wasn’t sure he’d ever look at me the same way. Or forgive me. I doubted he trusted me like he had before. I needed to make it right. I couldn’t lose him after all of this. With a sigh, I went back to the duffel bag and grabbed the few articles of clothing I had. I wasn’t sure how things were going to change after tonight. But my mind wasn’t on the Clovers.

It was stuck on Zan.

Chapter39

Zan

“Is that everything?”

I glanced at my dad when he asked the question. “Yes. I told them about the hawthorn warehouse and that was it.”

Amaros nodded while leaning back in his chair. “I’ll have the building burned by the time they get to it.”

I felt a slice of guilt for not telling my father the complete truth. If he knew I’d provided the location of the medical center, that would be his first priority. But what I’d told Kali about that place were my honest thoughts. I didn’t share my dad’s feelings when it came to human women mating with vampires when they didn’t have the choice. I hoped they actually succeeded in tearing that fucking place down.

Heavy footsteps filled the air, and I turned my head to see Viggo and Pax appearing from the darkness as they walked toward us. My dad and I were sitting outside on the patio behind his house. Being back on this property wasn’t something I enjoyed, but I had to fill Amaros in on everything that had happened. Well, not everything, but enough to satisfy him. He was furious that I was taken in the first place.

“The scouts went to the house,” Viggo said as he sat in the chair next to me. “The humans were already gone.”

“I told you they would be,” I muttered. “They wouldn’t stay there when I knew the location.”

It had been two days since I’d left there. I’d come straight to my father’s property, knowing he’d be able to get word to Pax and Viggo that I was fine. Two fucking days since I walked away from Kali. And the unease smothering my chest hadn’t left. I should have dragged her ass out of there with me. I’d stayed outside her window long enough to make sure Warner covered for her like I figured he would. But then I had to leave, since they had started searching for me.

“None of this changes our plan for Project Hope.” Amaros lifted his whiskey glass, finishing the rest in one swig. “The few who know about you will be dealt with.”

“We’re already working on it,” Pax added as he took the seat next to Amaros. “Two of the humans who know are hiding in Project Hope.”

Tim and Jill. They were aware that I was different from the average vampire, and out of the rest, they’d be the most difficult to get to since they lived in a human city. Hard but not impossible. Thanks to Warner, we now knew another way into Project Hope. We just needed to sneak in.

Viggo pulled out his pack of rolled cigarettes, and I snatched it away, pulling one out for myself. Pax raised an eyebrow as Viggo handed me the lighter. I smoked, but not as often as Viggo. After the week I’d had, I needed to let go of some stress. Though it wasn’t the torture that had been inflicted on me that was plaguing my mind. It was the fact that Kali wasn’t near me. I didn’t fucking like it. I’d gotten used to having her close. Hearing her heart. Becoming accustomed to her human scent. She made it perfectly clear that she didn’t want to come with me. That night, she had a choice. Next time, she wouldn’t. She wasn’t staying with that damn group.

She was right—I was obsessed. And I didn’t care. Sleeping with her had only enhanced it. I didn’t want to let her go.

“Is your city back in order?” Amaros asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

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