Page 41 of Bite of Sin

He raised an eyebrow. “I saw the pain in your eyes the first night I met you. You have burdens. Just like me. Well, just like everyone. But for some reason, I felt bad. Consider yourself lucky.”

“Thank you for keeping my secret,” I mumbled, my stomach knotting from feeling thankful for a damn vampire.

“Go back to work,” he said, ending the conversation abruptly. “No more ingesting hawthorn. If I can’t entrance you, I’ll turn you.”

“Got it,” I clipped out, moving toward the door.

“Don’t make me regret this,” he warned as I opened the door.

I glanced over my shoulder, managing to give him a small smile. “I won’t.”

My stomach bubbled with my lie. He wouldn’t be able to entrance me. Now I just needed a plan to get both Warner and myself out of here before he figured it out. I allowed myself to look at Warner, and he was nearly shaking as he sat in the cage. When was the last time he’d had food or water? He couldn’t die before I was able to get him out of here. Pax had stayed in the room, and I found Gia arguing with some vampires near the pool tables.

I walked casually behind the bar, grabbing an apple from the basket of fruit. I could just set this in his cage without him even seeing me. And since he was situated in a corner, it would be easy to get away with it. Vampires barely acknowledged me because of Zan’s necklace. I crossed my arms, keeping the apple hidden as I slowly crossed the room, making sure no one was watching me.

My pulse thudded as I stepped up to the side of the cage. Warner was still staring at the wall, and he couldn’t see me from this angle. It took everything in me not to call out his name. But it was too dangerous with so many ears around. I spotted Gia still on the other side of the dance floor, and I uncrossed my arms, reaching out to set the apple between the bars.

Until someone came up beside me, and a hand dropped on my arm, fingers curling tightly around my wrist.

Chapter17

Kali

My heart fell to my stomach when I snapped my head up, panic invading every cell in my body. The apple fell from my grip, hitting my foot before it rolled to the floor.

“What is this?” Zan murmured. His hold on my wrist was tight as his eyes stayed locked on mine.

I opened my mouth, but not a sound came out. I didn’t know what the hell I could say to explain this. I hadn’t even seen him come inside the club. Something moved out of the corner of my eye, and Viggo stepped into my sight, staying behind Zan.

“What are you doing, Kali?” Zan’s dangerously soft question pulled my attention back to him.

“Kali?” Warner’s voice was full of shock, and I turned my head to see him staring at me. Relief filled his eyes, and he scrambled to his feet, moving until his hands gripped the bars in front of me. His face was a mess, with a black eye and a swollen cheek. But he still shot me the comforting smile that had always grounded me when we were kids. Until his gaze fell on my clothes and then darted to Zan. His shoulders tensed, murder filling his eyes when he realized Zan was touching me.

“You know him?” Zan hissed, his voice full of suspicion.

“Everyone out. Now,” Viggo shouted. It only took a few seconds for the music to shut off before everyone raced to the door, leaving their drinks and drugs scattered on the tables. Only Gia remained, watching us curiously as she stayed behind the bar.

“What the hell is going on?” Pax asked, coming out of the small room and walking closer to us.

“Kali was just going to explain that. Weren’t you?” Zan released my arm, only to step fully in front of me.

But Warner spoke before I could. “Kali, look at me. Please.”

He barely choked out the words, and his heartbreak was too much to ignore. I sucked in shallow breaths, turning away from Zan to look at him. His face fell, his eyes searching mine for anything.

“How do you know him?” Zan gritted out.

When I didn’t answer, fingers caught my chin before Zan forced me to tear my gaze from Warner. He kept his hold on my jaw, refusing to let me look away from him.

“This is not a question you can ignore like all the others I’ve asked you,” he warned. “Who the fuck is he?”

I swallowed thickly, fear lighting through me, and I sagged in relief when he let me go. But his eyes gleamed dangerously, and he turned toward the cage. His arm flew out, his fingers wrapping around Warner’s throat before yanking him forward, making his nose slam into one of the bars. Then he started squeezing until Warner was choking out breaths.

“Stop,” I screamed. I lunged forward, only for someone to grab me around the waist, yanking me back. I didn’t take the time to check if it was Pax or Viggo as I was dragged backward.

“Who is he?” Zan asked again, his voice perfectly calm, yet steeped in violence. He stared at Warner, looking bored as he tightened his grip.

“He can’t breathe,” I shrieked, my mind clouding with panic when Warner’s face turned a shade darker. “You’re killing him.”

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