Page 64 of Bite of Sin

“Zan—”

“Not a fucking word,” he snapped. “You don’t want to push me right now.”

“Why not?” I shot back. “Will begging or pleading change what you’re going to do?”

He didn’t answer, slamming open the front door to the club. I couldn’t see anything, but the chattering quieted when he stepped inside.

“What the hell happened to you two?” Gia asked. “Why are you wet?”

“Everybody get the fuck out. Now,” Zan bellowed.

He headed toward the bar, and I let out a cry when he pulled me off his shoulder and I landed on the counter. Vampires were rushing out the door, and I clamored away, feeling Zan’s stare burning through me. I slid off the bar, pain jolting through my knee when I landed on my feet.

“Do not leave this room.” Zan’s threat was clearly for me, but when I glanced toward him, he was focused on Gia. “Where’re my brothers?”

Gia frowned, shooting me a look. “Viggo is upstairs with Dee and Jess. I don’t know where Pax is.”

“Get Viggo,” Zan snapped. “And then go spread the word that I’m looking for Pax.”

I was inching away from them, my heart pounding against my ribs. Running would be useless, but if I was going to die, I wanted to be near Warner. Gia gave Zan a long look before she headed toward the back, where the stairs were. She passed me, halting in her tracks. Her nostrils flared, and she snapped her head to the side, her eyes dropping to my legs. I followed her gaze, seeing my jeans stained with blood on my left knee.

“Well…that’s interesting,” she murmured, studying me. She didn’t seem to share the rage that Zan was simmering with. But I didn’t miss the frown on her usually cheery face.

“Gia. Go get Viggo,” Zan ordered sharply.

She hovered near me for another moment before going to the stairs. Zan continued to watch me as I backed up more. He reached over the bar and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. His black shirt was stained with dark blood from where I’d stabbed him, but he didn’t pay it any attention as he took a long drink from the bottle. I debated the odds of rushing into the back room and grabbing my gun, but there was no way I’d be able to get it out of the cushion before Zan caught up to me. My spine hit bars, and I jumped when a hand landed on my shoulder.

“Kali,” Warner whispered from behind me.

I spun around, meeting his stare. Fear for both me and him welled inside me, and I bit my lip.

“I’m sorry,” I choked out, not even trying to be quiet. “I tried getting us out.”

Warner’s eyebrows rose in confusion, and I opened my mouth to tell him I was still human, but Viggo rushed into the room, interrupting me. I turned away from Warner to watch Viggo skid to a halt, his gaze stopping on Zan first.

“What happened, little brother?” Viggo asked quietly.

“Ask Kali.”

Zan’s answer had Viggo turning toward me, suspicion crossing his face when he noticed me pressed against Warner’s cage. I didn’t move a muscle as his eyes trailed down me, stopping on my legs, just like Gia’s had. His shoulders tensed as he advanced toward me. My instincts screamed to run. To fight. To do anything. But what the hell could I do against two vampires when I didn’t have a weapon on me?

Viggo stopped a foot from me, the shock he was trying to mask still peeking through. He sniffed again, scoffing in disbelief.

“What a good little liar you are.” Viggo’s words were laced with anger, his eyes not leaving me. “This is what happens when we break the rules, Zan. Instead of a new vampire, we’ve been teaching a fucking human everything. We should have brought her to the center.”

“Human?” Warner breathed out. “Kali, you’re not a vampire—”

Zan heaved the bottle of whiskey at the wall, shattering the glass. My body trembled no matter how hard I tried to contain it as I watched the liquid spread across the floor. My clothes were still wet, making me cold, but that was the least of my concerns when Zan crossed the room, stopping right next to Viggo.

“Why’d you come here?” Zan asked. “To learn all our secrets?”

I shook my head. “No. I had no idea what this city was—”

“We can’t believe a word that comes out of her mouth,” Viggo cut me off, side-eyeing Zan. “Not unless we know it’s the truth.”

“She’s been here for over a week,” Zan ground out. “Slathered in that fucking lotion that PARA has. You really think she doesn’t have hawthorn too? I doubt I can entrance her.”

“He doesn’t have any.” Viggo’s gaze darted behind me to Warner. “He’s been here nearly as long.”

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