Page 57 of Bite of Sin

He lost interest in the conversation, turning his attention to Dee as his fangs slid down. Fisting her hair, he tilted her head back before sinking his teeth into her neck. She let out a small cry when he broke skin, but she ground against his lap, silently telling him she was enjoying it.

My gaze darted to the bar where Kali was talking to Gia with a hint of a smile on her lips. She seemed to tolerate Gia better than the three of us. Although Gia was always friendly. I replayed Viggo’s words in my head, wondering if maybe they held some truth. I focused back on Kali, wanting to hear what they were talking about.

“You’ve been everywhere,” Kali said to Gia, sounding wistful.

Gia laughed. “I’ve been around a long time. You’ll see everything too.”

“Doubtful,” Kali muttered, her voice dropping so low I almost didn’t catch the next words. “I’ll probably never even see the ocean before I die.”

Her head snapped up as if realizing she’d revealed something she hadn’t meant to. Her back straightened, a telltale sign I’d learned she did when she thought I was listening.

“You’ve never been to the ocean?” Gia asked in surprise.

Kali hesitated before shaking her head. “No.”

Viggo pulled away from Dee, licking the blood off his lips. “She’s never seen the ocean, Zan.”

I blew out a breath, giving him a glare. He was acting like he was God’s gift to women when he’d never had to deal with one as infuriating as Kali. They were all like Dee. Human or vampire, it didn’t matter; they fell into his lap without him having to say a word.

Viggo snickered. “You’re more stubborn than both Pax and me.”

“Or maybe he’s being smart and not giving into a new vampire who literally had a stake to his heart,” Pax grumbled.

“Where’s your friend, Dee?” Viggo asked.

“In the back.”

Viggo gently pushed her off his lap. “Go get her.”

Dee rushed to comply with his order, and I frowned at his smirk, knowing he was playing at something.

“We should be talking about Project Hope after Dad’s visit the other day,” Pax said in a quiet voice. “What we’re doing isn’t working.”

“Not tonight,” Viggo replied with a wave of his hand. “All work and no play is not the way we live.”

Pax scowled. “It seems that’s all Zan has been doing. Playing with Kali.”

“Fuck off,” I snapped. “I kept her from the center, which means I have to make sure she learns what she needs to.”

Viggo leaned back in his chair. “And what have you taught her? How much of an asshole a vampire can be? I don’t see you teaching her anything. She’s almost a month old now. Her senses have to be changing. You remember how that feels. No wonder she’s always in a bad mood.”

“I doubt that’s the reason she’s acting like that,” Pax muttered, swiping a hand down his face. “I need some air.”

Viggo watched his twin exit the club, a flicker of concern passing over his face. “He’s hiding something.”

“He always gets like this after Dad visits,” I replied, even though I agreed. Pax had been acting differently even before Dad came.

“Here she is, Viggo.”

Dee and her brown-haired friend walked up to us, and Viggo jumped to his feet. He shot me a grin before grabbing the girl’s hand and pulling her closer.

“Zan, you remember Jessica?” Viggo asked.

I gave a curt nod. I knew all the girls in here, just like the twins did. We’d been bringing humans to our cities for years, showing them that our way of life could be good too. The humans here of their own free will were always treated well. There were men too, but not nearly as many. Having humans here that we could feed on freely was an advantage we didn’t want to turn away.

“Jess, I think Zan is bored. Can you help with that?” Viggo phrased it like a question, but I saw it for what it was. A challenge. He thought I was so obsessed with Kali that I didn’t want anyone else. And when Jess gave me a shy smile and then touched her palm to my chest, I realized he was right. Because Jess’s touch did absolutely nothing for me. I wasn’t even in the mood to feed right now because I was so focused on Kali.

Fuck it.I could try his way one time. Only because I was curious to see if it would work. I wanted to learn about her, and for some damn reason, I wanted her to give it up willingly. I could easily threaten Warner, or even entrance him. But I wouldn’t—not yet.

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