Chapter 2 Kidan
KIDAN
Kidan stroked the arm of the couch, calming herself and the house.
The floorboards creaked in distress against Samson’s footfalls, hammering like heavy rain as he bounded into the study that doubled as a lounge.
His entire face soured when his black eyes landed on her.
Old carpet and an oval glass table stood between them—Susenyos’s favorite treasures about to become collateral damage yet again.
The carpet, sourced from Saui thread, would be stained with blood, and the beautiful table he prized for the traces of red sea glass shimmering beneath its surface would shatter.
Kidan almost shook her head. Thinking about Susenyos’s treasures instead of taking an axe to them was new and dangerous, a signal of something she didn’t want to examine closely.
Samson moved forward, his boots dragging mud on the carpet.
A muscle tightened in Kidan’s jaw. The Nefrasi vampire could be Susenyos’s brother, even though they weren’t biologically related.
They shared the same skin tone—a dark brown that was unnaturally smooth, almost reflective under direct sunlight, and a straight nose.
But that was where the similarities ended.
Samson’s hair was cut close to the scalp, revealing the long scar that started at his ear and disappeared into his shoulder.
As if someone had tried to axe his head and missed.
Unfortunately.
His starless eyes browsed over the poor decorations with disgust. The balloons crowded the candle-filled chandelier, sending long shadows along the ceiling like seven cloaked men gathered around a bonfire.
“What is this?” he barked.
“It’s my friend’s birthday.” Kidan’s voice was perfectly neutral, something she’d learned pissed him off. She delighted in it. “Do you want cake—”
“Take it down,” he ordered. “And get my blood.”
Kidan inhaled deeply, gripping the gun tighter inside her pocket. His blood. The blood coursing through her veins. As if her body was no longer hers. This part of their arrangement humiliated her the most.
He extended his metal hand—yet another difference from Susenyos. His entire left forearm was shielded. Kidan rose with great effort and poured a full glass of her blood. She held still, wanting him to come closer, right under the balloons.
Samson crossed onto the carpet and took the glass. He devoured it like he’d never tasted water before. He wiped his pinked lips, his skin becoming sunstruck. His vile eyes tinged red as he exhaled deeply with sickening satisfaction.
A sharp wave of hatred choked Kidan, and she almost shot him right then and there.
The first time he’d asked for blood, she’d refused.
His liquid eyes had lit up like a starved wolf before his hand was around her throat, crushing her windpipe.
His metal glove was so cold the bottom of her feet had chilled.
Then he had cut her neck with his claw and poured her blood into a glass as if she were a wine casket before throwing her aside.
He didn’t drink directly from her body. Didn’t allow her anywhere near his debased mind, which she supposed was a small mercy.
So Kidan went to Uxlay’s Rojit blood drive like every graduated student and had her blood drawn, brought it here.
“Your only job, heiress, is to get me the mask artifact and tell me what the house law is,” he said, wiping the red from his mouth.
Her eyes trailed the empty glass. This was the nightmare she’d feared for June once.
No one has drunk my blood.
Her sister’s words. Because June hadn’t killed, and she was no murderer. And actis that had not killed could not be fed on. Just like when they were bullied in childhood, June closed her eyes and huddled in the corner until Kidan handled it.
Kidan spoke without looking at him. “I told you a thousand times. Reading a law takes time. Mastering a house law takes time. Class starts Thursday. Until then you’ll have to be patient.”
Samson bared his fangs at her tone, making her flinch.
Without wanting to, she recalled the power in his arms, how he’d slammed her head against the bench of that abandoned hall, and shivered.
He’d been prepared to do so much worse, would have done much worse, if Susenyos hadn’t given her that clue that saved her life.
Samson was merciless and his rage was always bubbling beneath the surface.
But so was hers.
Moving under the balloons, Kidan placed both hands in her pockets. “I want you to leave.”
Like a wolf drawn to meat, Samson stalked toward her. “You dare order me?”
“I’m having people over.” She glanced up at the balloons, voice casual. “I don’t want them to see who drinks my blood. It’s a little embarrassing.”
His face contorted, deepening his wrath just like she knew it would.
His claws extended, black-tipped monstrous nails.
One swipe or slash, and he could slit her throat.
A drum settled beneath her heart. Out of habit, Kidan’s hand itched to trace her wrist, source power from her butterfly bracelet.
Her blue pill used to help her be invincible, unafraid of death.
Without it, she was too human, thinking about inconvenient things like survival.
Samson lunged to the ceiling, all power and muscle, and slashed at the balloons.
Three sharp pops exploded, a savage sound that unleashed an emotion she didn’t think she was capable of.
An emotion that only said run. Inside her pocket, Kidan traced the four corners of a square, her symbol for fear.
Her body had betrayed her. Locked with the unwelcome realization of how much danger she was in.
The knowledge that unlike before, Kidan had things to lose now, to live for.
She couldn’t die here. Exploding ash drifted down to their faces. And if she failed, she would die.
Run. Run.
No, draw a triangle. Now.
She did with great effort, leaning into raw anger. A breath of fresh air.
The ash was slow, almost beautiful, and it gave her time to recover her old self. Samson’s expression turned from furious disgust to confusion when the black particles invaded his eyes. Then his nose. Then his mouth.
“What—” He choked and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his fist. He stumbled a step back, trying to clear his throat. “What the hell did you…”
Move, Kidan screamed at herself. Kill him.
It worked. She quickly threw up a handful of the pins, making the ceiling explode all over, destroying the remaining balloons.
Turning the air into gray and black, poisoning him.
Her own eyes were stinging, watering, but she didn’t have time to cry.
Sometimes, she was afraid if she started crying, she’d never stop.
Instead, she coughed twice, swallowing most of the impala ash.
It traveled down her throat and into her stomach.
Maybe it’d protect her from the inside. Turn her poisonous.
She pulled out her gun—not shaking, good, and waited until Samson cracked one bloodied eye open.
“I’ve been waiting for this,” she said, and shot him in the stomach. Her shoulder snapped back and forth but she’d been ready for it. Raw satisfaction thrummed through her veins.
There was no room for fear.
“Heaven in hell!” he shouted, and collapsed backward, trying to shuffle away.
He had been the one she’d been hunting for. Not Susenyos. This was the shadow that had come to the gardens of her old house and ruined her life.
“I will fucking destroy you.” She barely recognized the venom in her voice.
He cursed her in Amharic, harsh and fast and cutting. “Your friend will die!”
GK.
As if conjured from thin air, the house crinkled with his finger bone chain, soft, warm eyes always warning her of death.
Kidan’s bubble of rage threatened to shatter, fingers shaking on the gun. She had the sense of floating outside her body and watching herself with disgust, like GK would.
Murderer, he would say with horror. The hand of death that would destroy anything good and kind.
But destruction was never what fueled Kidan.
It was protection. Mama Anoet had to die so June could be safe.
GK had to become a vampire so he could live.
GK would understand this. He would see the good in her again.
All she had to do was earn his trust back. Give him back his humanity.
What if he never forgives you? the cruel part of the house whispered, scattering her pulse. What then?
Samson’s eyes flashed in triumph as if he could hear her wild heartbeat.
Focus.
“I’ll find GK,” Kidan breathed, hoped. “After I send you to hell and get you away from June.”
He tried to laugh but groaned. “June chose me.”
The words made Kidan hesitate for a second, made his form fade in and out.
Samson lunged before she could orient herself.
He kicked out her legs, and her face raced to the floor.
Pain rang down her temple. She struggled to get up.
Samson’s metal arm sank into her shoulder, making her yell.
Kidan twisted and shot him again, near the shoulder, and he roared backward.
She straddled him, adrenaline pumping through her, gun to his chest.
“She’s my sister.” Kidan’s vision grew blurry, voice shaking with rage. “You took her from me.”
Nothing would stop her from killing him.
She traced the gun to the left side of his chest. Right where his heart would be.
Began to squeeze. For a second, Samson’s black eyes betrayed fear.
It seemed to flicker in and out without his control, just like hers earlier.
As if he too had something to live for, which meant only one thing. He loved someone or someone loved him.
Kidan got even closer, trying to see into the complete blackness of his gaze. Which poor soul was a victim of his attention? Maybe she should torture him, take away whoever he loved like he’d done to her.
Samson’s fearful expression broke too quickly, cutting her off from seeing any more. Kidan frowned when he gave a weak smile. “Perfect timing, wendem.”
Kidan snapped her head up as a tall figure appeared at the entry. She hadn’t heard the door open. For all the immortal stealth he’d lost, her vampire companion still moved without sound. Her mouth remained open. It felt odd to finally see him in this house. Her heart beat wilder and wilder.
He’d come back.
“Little bird,” Susenyos said, taking in her ashen face and loose braids. Something close to a smile lingered in his tone. “I’m almost jealous. You used to hold me at gunpoint.”