Page 92 of Bite of Sin

“Give me something to tell Tim,” she grated out, acting like she hadn’t just been on top of me.

I crossed my ankles, watching as her walls came back up. She was going to bolt as soon as I told her what she wanted. I needed to tell her something else first.

“Don’t talk to Garrett,” I warned her in a low voice.

She rolled her eyes. “This whole controlling thing really doesn’t have the impact it did when I was stuck in your city.”

I decided not to bring up how she’d just come all over my lap when I demanded it.

“Kali,” I said stiffly. “Don’t go anywhere alone with him. You can’t trust him.”

“But I can trust you?”

“Oh my fuck,” I muttered, my head spinning so much I could barely concentrate. Having her so close where I could smell her but couldn’t drink was almost too much. My entire body was begging to feed, and it wouldn’t be too much longer until I couldn’t function until I had blood. “Garrett is not a friend to you. If you have to speak to him, then at least have Warner with you.”

Shock flashed in her eyes. “What did Garrett tell you?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“It does if it concerns me.”

My jaw muscle flexed. “They want me to talk. And they’ll do whatever they need to get it. They’ll hurt you if they think I care about you.”

“They would never hurt me,” she said fiercely. “I’ve been a Clover for years.”

“Believe me, they would. With the exception of Warner.”

“I trust them,” she muttered. “They saved me. Gave me a family.”

“They need soldiers. That’s all you are to them.”

Her mouth twisted into a scowl. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I chuckled and closed my eyes, resting the back of my head against the pole. “I’ve met a few groups like this over the years.”

She stayed silent, and I kept my eyes closed, listening to her heartbeat. It was a bit faster than usual, but it still calmed me enough to think through the haze in my head. I wasn’t sure how long we sat there in silence before she spoke up again.

“Do you care if they hurt me? Are you trying to use me for a way out of here? Because I won’t help you. I can’t.”

I snapped my eyes open to see her sitting on the floor and watching me. “I wouldn’t have saved you with my blood if I didn’t care.”

“But why do you care?” she asked, a desperate edge in her voice.

“I don’t know,” I answered bluntly. “I have no fucking idea why I care. But I do. As for helping me leave—no need. I can handle this myself. But mark my words, Kali. I’m taking you with me when I do leave here. You stay here, and you won’t survive.”

Her anger came back full force. “You are delusional. This is my home.”

“Project Hope was your home. That’s gone for you now. Don’t put your entire life into this Clover group.”

She took that about as well as I expected. I should have just kept my mouth shut. But my thoughts were muddled with how badly my head was pounding. Every time I swallowed, it felt like I was eating glass. I even had fucking chills. Almost like the worst flu in the world, but the only cure was blood. Or it was only going to get worse.

“Don’t tell me how to live my life,” she snapped. “You don’t know me.”

I sighed. “I know that you don’t belong here.”

She let the room lapse into silence, and I closed my eyes again, almost dozing off. I could survive on little sleep, but between Kali’s visits and Garrett’s, I hadn’t slept at all since being here.

“What do you want to tell me to give to Tim?” she asked quietly.

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