Bite of Vengeance (Shadows of War #3)

37. Kali

Chapter 37

Kali

I pressed my hand over my chest, sucking in a lungful of air. My eyes darted to the door, waiting for Zan to walk through it. Pax and I had gotten back to Impulse over a half hour ago, and we were waiting upstairs. Pax and Gia were sitting on the couch having a quiet conversation while I paced around the island.

Something was wrong.

Every cell in my body was screaming at me. The last time I’d felt like this was when I heard Zan’s voice when Rowan had taken us.

“I’m going to find him,” I muttered, heading for the door.

“He’s with Viggo.” Pax tried to calm me. “They’re fine.”

“No,” I nearly screamed. “Something is wrong. Zan is in trouble.”

Pax frowned before standing up. “Okay. Let’s go find him.”

“Find who?”

Viggo appeared in the doorway, his usual grin on his face. He strode forward, and my heart hammered when Zan didn’t appear behind him.

“Where’s Zan?” I asked, my voice shrill.

He frowned in confusion. “What?”

“Zan,” I hissed, my impatience reaching a tipping point. I needed to lay eyes on him. “Where is he?”

All emotion fell off his face. “You really didn’t think Dad wouldn’t have a backup plan if you left the property?”

Ice chilled my veins. “What?”

Pax silently stepped beside me, his gaze on his twin. Viggo didn’t move a muscle, his eyes locked on mine.

“You’re bonded with him, Kali. Only you can find him. Start looking.”

Anger bled through the worry. “What the hell are you talking about? Where is Zan?”

“He’s on his way to our father.”

Silence engulfed the room. I stared at Viggo, wondering if I’d misheard him. Because there was no possible way Viggo betrayed his brothers. Zan could not be with Amaros.

“Where is he?” I asked, speaking slowly to keep my words steady.

“He’s where he’s supposed to be—with our father.”

With a shriek, I lunged at him, wrapping my hand around his neck and shoving him into the wall next to the door with enough force that the drywall cracked. He choked out breaths, his eyes suddenly swimming in confusion.

“Kali,” he choked out, my name barely coherent from how tightly I was squeezing his throat. “What the hell?”

Red lined my vision, and when I tightened my grip, I vaguely realized that I wasn’t in control anymore. Pax’s voice sounded far away over my pulse beating in my ears.

“Where is Zan?” I repeated, my panic rising with every word.

The shock faded out of Viggo’s eyes. “He’s with our father. Go find him.”

Fury bled through my veins, and my free hand landed on his chest right over his heart. A grunt of pain passed his lips when I dug my nails into his skin. Black blood began soaking through his shirt, and yelling surrounded me as Viggo grabbed my wrist, trying to yank my hand from him. My rage was uncontrolled, his hold feeling like nothing.

Another set of hands wrapped around my arm, in a useless attempt to pull me away. Agony swept across his face as my nails dug deeper into his chest, and for a fleeting moment, I hesitated. This was Zan’s brother—someone he loved. Killing him would hurt Zan.

“Kali.” Pax’s frantic voice cut through my anger. “Fuck, let him go.”

“I want to know where Zan is,” I forced out hoarsely. “He’s going to tell me.”

Arms banded around my waist, and this time I let whoever was holding me pull me backward, breaking my grip on Viggo. Pax inserted himself between us as Gia’s quiet voice came from behind me, proving she was the one holding onto me.

“Calm down,” she tried soothing me. “We’ll find Zan.”

“What the hell are you doing?” Viggo shouted, rubbing his chest as he glared at me.

“Me?” I hissed. Gia’s hold tightened when I stiffened. “Are you serious?—”

“Stop,” Pax grated out, staring at his twin. “Where is Zan?”

“How the hell am I supposed to know?”

His answer had me lunging at him again. Pax spun around, grabbing my shoulders, using all his strength to keep me back.

“Ask him again,” he ordered, his chest heaving.

“What—”

“Ask him,” he demanded. “And don’t attack him. Please.”

My jaw clenched as my eyes darted to Viggo. “Where is Zan?”

The emotion faded from his face. “He’s with Amaros. Go find him.”

“He’s entranced,” Pax said, disbelief lacing his voice. “See it, Kali? It gets triggered when you ask, no one else.”

“Entranced?” Cold dread slithered through me. “No.”

“Yes.” Pax cursed. “Amaros must have done it before you two left the property.”

“What the hell are you two talking about?” Viggo asked, a scowl on his face. “I’m fine.”

“You left with Zan over an hour ago,” Gia said softly, stepping beside me. “Now you’re here. What happened to Zan?”

Viggo scanned the room as if waiting for Zan to appear. After a few moments of silence, horror slid across his face before he stumbled back into the wall.

“I didn’t—” He ran his hands over his head. “—I don’t remember.”

“It’s okay,” Pax pacified him. “It’s not your fault.”

It wasn’t his fault, but it sure as hell wasn’t okay. If he’d been entranced, what else had he done under Amaros’s control? Did their father know we were in Deadwood? All the plans we had with the Clovers? This could wreck everything. Though, none of that was at the forefront of my mind.

I strode toward the door, hearing Pax curse before he slid in front of me.

“Where are you going?” he asked with a frown.

“I’m finding Zan.”

“That’s what my father wants,” he snapped. “I know your bond with Zan is wrecking any logical thought because he’s in danger. And that bond will lead you straight to him. It will also put you right into a trap where Amaros wants you. You need to think clearly?—”

“I’m thinking perfectly fucking clear,” I cut him off sharply, my body strumming with impatience. “Move, Pax.”

“You can’t go by yourself,” Gia added, her voice full of worry.

“I’m not going alone. I’m going to find Rya.” I met Pax’s eyes. “I have an army behind me. One that Amaros fears so much that he kept them locked up for years. His vampires are no match for Shadows.”

“If you go in blind, then Amaros will have the upper hand, even if you have Shadows with you,” Pax said slowly. “Just wait. Let us plan before we go.”

I scoffed. “ We ? Your brother can’t be trusted. Not now.”

“Which is why he needs to stay in our sight,” Pax shot back.

“Kali, think about this,” Gia added as she stood next to Viggo. “You need Pax and me. We know Amaros better than anyone. Just sit down and talk about it.”

Viggo was staring at me, his body sagging in defeat. “I’m fucking sorry. I didn’t know. I’ll do whatever it takes to get Zan back.”

I believed him. The only problem was that we had no idea what would trigger Amaros’s entrancement. He couldn’t be left alone for that reason, but bringing him with us was also a risk.

I sighed, nodding tightly. “Fine. We plan. Then we go.”