Chapter 4
YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHEN TO SHUT UP, DO YOU?
"Bring it on, Zandia," I snarled through clenched teeth, even though I knew my next words were lies. "I'm ready for whatever you want to throw at me."
Zandia's laughter echoed through the dark room, sending shivers down my spine. "Oh, Parker," she purred, her voice dripping with condescension. "You don't even know what you're asking for. You're bluffing."
"Am not," I shot back, refusing to let her intimidate me.
As a half-human, half-demon hybrid, I should have been able to handle anything she threw at me.
It was just too bad that my demonic powers had a nasty habit of flaring up at the worst possible moments or leaving me high and dry when I needed them most.
"Prove it."
"Is that all you got? A vague observation and a dare?
" I snapped at Zandia, feeling the familiar heat of my demonic powers surging just beneath the surface.
Fuck this lady. I couldn't control it, not really, but it was a part of me now.
I was learning to live with it. "Bring it on, bitch.
I can take whatever you want to throw at me. "
She laughed, her hazel eyes dancing with malice, the sound setting every nerve on edge. "Oh, really?" She purred, her voice dripping with amusement. "So you're not afraid of a little challenge?"
"Afraid?" I scoffed, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm not the one hiding behind empty threats."
Her expression darkened, and in a blink, she was in my face, her fingers tightening around my throat. I gasped, my breath cut off, but I didn't allow her the satisfaction of showing it. I would not show fear. No, I refused to give her that victory.
"I'm going to enjoy this," she hissed, her breath hot on my face.
Her grip didn't change, but I felt something else squeezing the air from my lungs.
I was dimly aware that it wasn't her hand crushing me.
A few seconds passed before I realized it was her power.
Instead of cowering or begging, I glared at her defiantly.
"Go ahead," I rasped, my voice struggling against her hold. "Do your worst."
She cocked her head as if considering her options. Then she smirked, her teeth elongating into fangs right in front of my eyes. "You really don't know when to shut up, do you?"
Before I could react, her lips were on my neck, teeth sinking into my flesh where her hand had been. Pain exploded through me. What the fuck?
"Just a taste," she purred, pulling away even as her grip returned to my throat. "I didn't feel like denying myself this time."
Warmth spread across my collarbone, and I touched it gingerly. When I pulled away my hand, it was covered in blood. She had bitten me.
"Bloodsucking scum," I spat.
This time, when she smiled, I saw my blood on her fangs. "Oh, Parker, you have no idea."
Zandia's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint reflecting in their depths as she stared at me down. "I am an original shifter," she whispered, her voice laced with menace. "And an original vampire."
The revelation hit me like a ton of bricks.
My heart stuttered in my chest, and I tried to swallow the fear that threatened to choke me.
I didn't fully know what that meant, but it sounded bad to me.
When I was reunited with my mates, I'd have to ask them what that meant. And read through my mother's journal.
"You can't seriously expect me to... work for you after this." I said, my voice trembling with revulsion. She had violated me… stolen my blood.
She laughed, and it sent chills down my spine. "Oh, trust me, you will. Very few creatures are more powerful than me," she continued, her grip on my throat never wavering. "If I wanted to, I could wipe you and your mates off the planet with a snap of my fingers."
Her words resonated within me, amplifying the terror coursing through my being. She could destroy us without breaking a sweat, and there would be nothing I could do to stop her. I struggled against the invisible force constricting my airways, desperate for each breath.
"Is that supposed to scare me?" I rasped. Anger and defiance surged through me, pushing back the darkness threatening to consume me.
"Maybe it should," Zandia hissed, leaning in closer. "But remember, Parker, I don't want to kill you. I want you on my side."
My mind raced, trying to reconcile her words. She wouldn't stop until I agreed, would she? She'd made it clear that she wouldn't answer my questions until she got what she wanted from me. The thought of joining forces with such a powerful and dangerous creature both terrified and intrigued me.
"Tell me, Parker," Zandia murmured. "Are you willing to embrace the darkness within you, to unleash your full potential?"
I stared into her cold, merciless eyes and knew that I had to make a decision. One that would change my life, and the lives of my mates, forever.
My heart pounded in my ears, drowning out the sound of my own ragged breaths. I locked eyes with Zandia, refusing to show any weakness.
"Join you?" I spat, wishing I could wash off the sticky blood. "You think I would ever choose to be at your side?"
"Is that so hard to believe?" she countered, smirking at my defiance. Her fingers tightened around my neck, nails digging into my skin. "You can't deny the darkness within you, Parker. Embrace it, and see what we could achieve together."
I refused to let my fear control me, even as I felt the encroaching darkness threatening to consume me. My demon half howled inside me, desperate for release, but I fought to keep it at bay. This wasn't about power. It was about survival for myself and for my mates.
We continued to glare at each other, neither willing to back down. Every muscle in my body trembled from the effort of resisting her magic, but I wouldn't give in. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, each second an eternity of pain and determination.
Without warning, Zandia laughed, a chilling sound that echoed through the room. It vaguely reminded me of the screaming souls in the black goo from the hell realms.
In an instant, her magic vanished, and I collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. My throat burned and my body felt like rubber.
"Bravo, Parker," she applauded, her eyes alight with cruel amusement. "You've proven yourself to be far more resilient than I anticipated. That's good because the road ahead will be difficult. Perhaps there's hope for you yet."
"Difficult how?" I demanded, my jaw clenched.
"Completing your mission. Which is ousting the corruption within the supernatural division of the government. It won't be easy." She paused, her eyes boring into mine. "And you'll have to face Ro directly at some point."
My stomach twisted at the mention of Ro. My demon side flared in response, pushing against the edges of my control. The thought of facing him head-on terrified me, but I knew there was no other choice. It was inevitable.
"Is that supposed to scare me, Zandia?" I tried to keep my voice steady. "While I didn't have a clue what I was signing up for when I joined this pack, I wouldn't change a thing now that I know."
"You sound confident about that." Zandia circled me like a predator, forcing me to turn my head as she moved. "You think you understand the stakes, but you have no idea what kind of power you're up against."
"Then enlighten me," I snapped, frustrated with her mind games.
"Ro has connections far beyond our realm, and his influence reaches deeper than you can imagine." Her words were soft, but they carried a weight that made my chest tighten. "Taking him down won't be as simple as you hope."
"Nothing about this has been simple," I muttered, thinking of the countless things that had gone wrong since discovering my heritage. "But I will defeat him, no matter the cost."
"Such determination," Zandia mused, stepping back. "We'll see if it's enough."
"Count on it," I whispered, glaring at her.
Zandia watched me as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Taking Ro down wasn't something I ever wanted," I admitted. "But I know it has to be done. He's a problem that needs to be dealt with."
"Is he?" Zandia raised an eyebrow, her gaze steady and piercing. "Or is he just a pawn in a much larger game?"
The air between us crackled with tension, and for a moment, all I could hear was the sound of my own ragged breathing. Was she suggesting that there was more going on than I had realized? That Ro was merely a small part of a bigger picture?
Before I could push for what she meant, she took over the conversation.
"Ask your question, Parker." Zandia's voice was cold and commanding, leaving no room for argument.