Bite of Vengeance (Shadows of War #3)

29. Kali

Chapter 29

Kali

T he lights were blinding, my eyes blurry from being closed for so long. I blinked rapidly, waiting for everything to come into focus. My heart leaped into my throat when my eyes landed on Zan, who was on his knees in front of me.

His gaze locked on mine, the wild rage dimming slightly as the ghost of a relieved smile crossed his lips. I took in his predicament, my anger climbing with every second. His arms were bound behind him, and he had a collar on his neck that was chained to the floor. Black blood was puddled around him, some of it dried and more looked wet as if it had just happened. There were open cuts all over his chest. Why wasn’t he healing?

I twisted my arms, glancing down to realize I was restrained to a chair. The cuffs bit into my wrists, causing pain I wasn’t expecting. There was a small stinging that tingled my skin beneath the cuffs for a second, and I wondered if there was somehow hawthorn in the cuffs. Even if there was, it wasn’t affecting me.

My eyes snapped to my arm, dread holding me hostage when I realized it was my black blood that was draining through the small tube. What the hell were they doing?

“She’s awake.”

The voice was so identical to mine that it threw me off for a moment. I raised my head, seeing Keeva standing behind Zan. My chest heaved as I glared at her. She was the reason I was here. Why Zan was chained to the floor. A swell of emotions tore me apart. She was my blood. Someone I thought I could grow close to.

A man with glasses falling down his nose, scurried in front of me, his eyes widening when he realized I was awake.

“I can give her more,” he said nervously, glancing away from me.

“No, it would be a waste. We’ll save it for when we need it.” Rowan stepped in front of me, blocking Zan from my sight. “Hello, Kali.”

I pressed my lips together, not saying a word. He tilted his head, studying me carefully. His eyes dropped to my restrained arms before slowly traveling back up to my face.

“Thirsty?” he asked.

I was. I had no idea how much blood they’d given me, but the cravings were strong. It wasn’t terrible yet, though I was sure that would change if I didn’t feed.

“We’ve even been giving Zan some blood,” he continued as if he were doing a good deed. “Just enough to keep him conscious.”

Had Zan been watching me the entire time I’d been knocked out? I couldn’t imagine what kind of torture that was. To watch and be able to do nothing. I looked down as much as my collar allowed and realized in horror that I was in different clothes. Shorts and a tight shirt that weren’t mine.

“Keeva was nice enough to lend you some of her clothes when she showered you off,” Rowan said, crouching down to get eye level with me. “We had an incident where you jerked hard enough to knock the IV out. There was blood everywhere.”

I was burning with questions, but I forced myself to remain silent. He was doing this to show he was in control. It didn’t matter what I asked, he would only tell me what he wanted.

“How do you feel?” he asked, sounding curious. “It doesn’t seem like the hawthorn is affecting you anymore.”

“It is,” I lied, my voice raspy. “It hurts.”

“Really?” It didn’t sound like he believed my words, but didn’t press the matter. “You woke up just in time. We’re about to do some testing.”

My heart beat unevenly at the excitement in his words. I jerked back when he raised his hand and placed his knuckles under my chin, tilting my face up. The collar preventing me from moving away from his unwanted touch, and disgust rolled through me.

“Get your hand off me,” I hissed, my voice nearly shaking in rage.

“You don’t make demands,” he said calmly. “I’m in charge here. Unless you’d like to see the torture I can inflict on the monster you’re in love with, you should listen to me.”

I swallowed thickly, a tinge of fear sliding through me. For some reason, he needed me alive, so he was going to threaten Zan. Rowan smirked coldly, moving his fingers to grasp my chin tightly.

“You weren’t raised here like Keeva was. It’ll take you time to adjust. But you will. You belong with us, Kali.”

“I will kill you,” I snarled, my loathing for this man overtaking everything else.

“Don’t fight it,” Keeva said softly as she came into view to stand next to Rowan. “It’s not your fault. Your namesake doesn’t have to be who you are.”

“Namesake?” I muttered, shooting a glare at her.

“Tell her,” Rowan ordered Keeva as he released my jaw and stood back up. “Maybe it’ll help her understand.”

“My name has meaning, just like yours. Keeva means peace. Goodness. Light.” She frowned. “But Kali…you are destruction. Evil power. Born in darkness.”

I stared at her, my stomach twisting painfully as my mother’s note flashed in my mind. Rowan was watching me carefully, but I paid him no attention as I looked at my twin.

“We are the dark and the light,” Keeva murmured, reciting the words I knew from memory. “One cannot survive without the other. You’re bathed in darkness, but I can help you.”

“I don’t need your help,” I choked out, struggling against the restraints. “I’m not on the wrong side of this. You are.”

Her eyes gleamed with growing anger. “That’s what he wants you to believe. What the vampires want.”

She backed up, and Rowan watched her with a smug grin on his face as she stepped to the side. My heart stilled when she grabbed Zan’s hair, yanking his head back. His jaw clenched, but he didn’t utter a sound even when fresh black blood dribbled down his chest from beneath the collar.

“Don’t—”

“What is he, Kali?” she cut me off sharply. “A Kane. A bloodthirsty creature who has spent his life at his father’s side planning to overthrow humans. How many people do you think he’s killed? How many lives ruined because of him and his family? His father is the reason the war started all those years ago.”

“He’s not with his father,” I screamed hoarsely when she pulled a small knife from under her shirt. “He’s changed.”

“No, he changed you,” she hissed. “And for that, he’ll pay.”

Keeping a hand tangled in his hair, she reached down and sliced his chest so deep that blood immediately began spilling down his skin. I jerked in the chair, swallowing my threat when she did it again. Rowan was watching, waiting for my reaction. Zan’s body went rigid in the chains, but he stayed quiet, not moving a muscle when she made a third cut.

“Even what we’ve done to him in the last ten days doesn’t touch on what he should get for just existing.” Her voice nearly shook with revulsion as she stared at Zan. “He doesn’t deserve to live.”

Zan let out a pained laugh. “Your threats mean nothing. You haven’t killed me yet because you can’t. You still don’t know the future. You kill Amaros Kane’s son, we all know he’ll come for blood.”

Rowan’s vile grin only widened. “Maybe. But I’m curious how he feels about you after you chose her and her Shadows over your own father. Right now, I’m keeping you alive to make sure Kali behaves until she makes the right choice.”

A shiver shot down my spine at his threat. If Keeva was working with Rowan, then he knew that Zan and I were bonded. Her previous conversation ran through my mind, and I froze. Would you do anything for him? Is he someone you can’t live without? She wasn’t asking me as a sister who was curious. She’d been gaining as much information as she could—to use against me.

Hot fury raced through my veins, and I struggled in the restraints. The pain barely phased me, but I wasn’t strong enough. Whatever my body had been through for the last ten days, along with barely drinking any blood, was keeping me weak.

“It’s not your fault.” Keeva looked at me with pity. “This was how we were born. But we can help you, Kali. You allowed yourself to be swallowed by darkness. I can pull you out. But first, you need to accept that he is the reason you’re fighting this so hard.”

“No,” I shrieked when she suddenly stabbed the knife into Zan’s chest right where his heart was. This time, he couldn’t stay silent, and he grunted in pain as he sagged forward as much as the chains allowed. The blade was metal, and even if it wasn’t fatal, I couldn’t imagine how much that hurt.

Leaving the knife in his chest, she stood up and crossed the small space, stopping in front of me. Her hands landed gently on top of my bound arms as she leaned down to meet my eyes.

“His father murdered our mother,” she breathed out. “His family is the reason you were an orphan. Amaros and his three sons have caused havoc in this world. They ruined it. And now they want to finish what they started. How can you think you’re on the right side of this, Kali?”

I pressed my lips together, not saying a word. She was trying to get in my head, and I refused to let it happen.

“Do you know where we are?” She tilted her head. “In the human city you grew up in.”

“Keeva,” Rowan interjected sharply. “She doesn’t need to know where we are.”

“Project Hope was your home,” she continued, ignoring Rowan. “And you joined the Clovers? Why?”

My heart stuttered in my chest, her words stirring feelings I hadn’t thought about in months.

“You dedicated your life to a group who wanted to rid this world of vampires. You hated them.” She searched my eyes. “Don’t you remember why? Because they destroyed the lives humans had. They’re killers. Monsters. Just because you fell in love with one doesn’t change the facts.”

“I’m a Shadow,” I bit out. “So are you. We’re not human.”

“We’re different. We’re meant for this life. To keep the balance. Not to allow vampires to rule the world.”

“I’m not letting Amaros do anything,” I growled. “Neither is Zan. And PARA is no better than him.”

“The humans have souls that aren’t shrouded in evil. Vampires will never stop fighting for power.” She shook her head. “PARA might not be perfect, but if it wasn’t for them, the vampires would have won the war all those years ago. Could you imagine life if you never had a safe city like Project Hope?”

I detested how her words were sinking through me. If I’d met her six months ago, I would have agreed with her on nearly every point. Fear lashed in my chest. Maybe I had changed.

“It’s not too late to choose the right side,” she murmured softly. “You don’t have to be the dark, Kali. You can rule in the light with me.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Zan choked out between labored breaths. “They want?—”

Rowan reached down, and yanked the knife from Zan’s chest, making him hiss out a curse. “Not another fucking word, or I drag you out of here and you go back to the cell.”

Zan lifted his head, glowering at Rowan with a hatred I’d never seen from him. My heart squeezed, wondering what fresh hell he’d gone through these last ten days.

“Look at who you care about.” Keeva gripped my arms tighter. “Kanes. Vampires. Then tell yourself why you think you’re on the right side. Bonds can be broken. Blood can’t. I’m your blood, just like he is Kane blood.”

“You are nothing to her,” Zan growled.

“Enough,” Rowan snapped. “They’re here. I’ve been waiting for this for years. It’s time.”