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“We should get back upstairs,” she said as she grabbed a few more books. “Do you have a good place to hide these?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” She gave me a sad smile. “Be careful who you trust, Kali. Change will happen at some point, and I want you to be on the right side of it.”
Change. Doubt filled me. PARA ruled everything in our cities. The vampires controlled the free land. Even if people did learn about the past—and gained renewed hope—would it really be enough for change to happen?
Chapter 1
Kali
PRESENT
My eyelids fluttered open, and I groaned as I rolled to my side. It only took a moment to remember where I was, even though I couldn’t see anything in the darkness. It was the same place I’d been for the last three days, ever since Zan had dragged me out of the cabin. I bit my tongue, even as my body relaxed into the mattress. I would never admit it out loud, but this bed was the most comfortable place I’d ever slept. It felt like I was sleeping on a cloud.
I hated that I slept so well when I was in Zan’s bed.
He’d made himself scarce in the three days I’d been back. I guessed he was sleeping on the couch, since he hadn’t been in here. We’d barely spoken a word to each other, and even though Pax had told me that I was free to go anywhere in their apartment, I didn’t leave Zan’s room. He had a bathroom, and that was all I needed. Pax brought me food every day, and I spent hours reliving what happened at the cabin.
How I’d never see Warner again. That the Clovers saw me as an enemy. There was a heavy hopelessness that I couldn’t shake. I was trapped here with Zan and the vampires when I had no idea what they wanted. Zan had tried to talk to me once, but when I asked questions, he didn’t want to answer and would walk away. I was angry with him for forcing me here. Even though I knew he was the only reason I was still alive.
If he’d never come, the Clovers would have used me and then killed me. And Warner. I should be grateful, but I still didn’t trust him. He had too many secrets. He was a vampire. A Kane. I let him into my heart, and it was a mistake. One I refused to make again. If I wanted to survive—to escape—I needed to remain focused.
I sighed as I shifted again, only to freeze when my foot grazed something. I slowly moved my leg, brushing up against something solid. It was then that I heard his even breaths, proving I wasn’t alone in bed. My heart jolted, and it took everything not to leap out of the bed. If I woke him up, then I’d have to talk to him.
My skin prickled from being so close to him, and no matter how hard I tried to see, it was impossible in the dark. Holding my breath, I slowly lifted the blanket off me, suddenly needing space. The memory of the last time we shared a bed flashed through my head, and I clenched my teeth. After everything, thinking about what we did should repulse me. But it didn’t.
I sat up, about to scoot off the mattress, when an arm banded around my waist, dragging me back. I let out a yell of surprise, my body going stiff when my back was suddenly pressed against his chest. His arm stayed locked around me, making my struggles to free myself useless.
“Where’re you going, Kali?” Zan murmured near my ear, his voice gruff from sleep.
“Let me go,” I demanded. “What the hell are you doing in here?”
“It’s my room. My bed.”
“You haven’t been in here in the last three days.”
“I know. I gave you time. Gave you space. But it’s been long enough.” His words had my stomach knotting. “You’re not going to spend your days holed up in my room.”
“I have nowhere else to be,” I gritted out.
“This is your new life. You should learn to embrace it.”
“No thanks,” I snarked. “I was perfectly happy being by myself.”
“Too bad.”
I blew out a breath, squirming in his tight hold. “If you’re going to sleep in here, I’ll go to the couch.”
“No.”
His one-word answer had hot rage sliding down my limbs, and I elbowed him in the ribs, only to hear him chuckle.
“I know you have questions,” he said, making me go still. “I thought you wanted answers.”
“I do,” I said slowly.
“I’ll give them to you.” His lips were so close to my ear that a shiver ran through me when his warm breath hit my skin, and my anger only rose. He shouldn’t affect me like this. But he did, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
