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“She’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Zan’s words had me glancing at him again, but his eyes were on his father. He refused to look at me, and with each passing moment, my anger grew. He had been acting like he wanted me here with him. That he wanted me. And even knowing who he was, I let him in at the beach earlier. That’s what I got for going against my instincts.
“I know that, Zan,” Amaros praised him. “I raised you right.”
“What am I perfect for?” I asked, my voice shrill. “Tell me.”
My unease grew when Amaros spun me around until my back slammed into his chest. His hand was still covering mine over the stake, and no matter how much I struggled, there was no escaping him.
“Hold him, Viggo.”
Viggo obeyed his father’s order without hesitation, stepping up and grabbing Tim, holding both of his arms behind his back. Tim cursed and fought, but he wasn’t a match for Viggo. Panic wrapped around my chest and squeezed as Amaros forced us forward until we were in front of Tim.
“I have three sons,” Amaros murmured in my ear. “Do you know their secret?”
“They’re Shadows,” I gritted out. “Only half vampire.”
“Yes. Combined with my bloodline, they’re nearly unstoppable. Now, some of the humans that I turn could grow to have the same powers as me. But that takes centuries.” Amaros raised our hands, aiming the stake toward Tim’s face, and no matter how hard I tried to pull away, Amaros’s hold was steady. “Shadows are powerful. They can walk in the sun. Their blood heals. Their strength is unmatched. I wanted my sons to possess such abilities. And I want to grow my family.”
The blood drained from my face. There was no hiding the shock, and I wondered if Zan was purposely staying to the side where I couldn’t see him. There was only one thing his words meant.
“I want heirs,” Amaros continued while he pressed the stake against Tim’s cheek as Viggo held his hair to keep him still. “Instead of waiting centuries, I only need to wait a quarter of one for my children to become Shadows. Already, we’ve made so much progress with my children helping me since they transitioned seven years ago.”
Amaros pushed the wood harder, puncturing Tim’s skin right above his jawbone. My hand was useless under his as we both held the stake. Pain was etched on Tim’s face, but he didn’t utter a sound as he met my gaze. Tears pricked my eyes, my stare following the trail of blood going down his face.
“Not every vampire—Shadow or full blood—can mate with humans.” He pulled away the stake, only to lower it and then slam it into Tim’s stomach.
“No,” I shrieked, feeling his warm blood cover my hand as Amaros held the stake in place.
Then he kept talking as if he hadn’t just stabbed Tim. “The twins can’t mate. But Zan? He can. And he knows how important it is to continue the Kane lineage. Don’t you, son?”
Tears were rolling down my face, and I had no idea whether they were from watching Tim bleed out or from Amaros’s words. Zan was using me. Was this why we’d gone to the beach? So he could get me to trust him?
“Heal him,” Amaros ordered. Viggo released Tim’s arms, keeping his hair in a tight grip, and then bit his own wrist before shoving it against Tim’s mouth.
“We don’t want just anyone.” Amaros’s breath hit my hair as he spoke. “We want someone who matches our genetics. You, Kali, meet that in spades. I can tell just from this short time with you. Your children will be perfect when they become Shadows. You’d survive pregnancy, probably more than once.”
I was going to be sick. Bile burned my throat, and I choked it back. I swallowed everything back. I would not give Amaros the satisfaction of my reaction. He wanted it. That was the entire reason he was sharing this.
“I can also tell that you aren’t one to ever want to mate with vampires. You’re too strong-willed. Your hate for us is tangible. Which is why Zan hasn’t told you.” He turned me slightly until he could meet my eyes. “What you want does not matter anymore. My son chooses to treat you with more respect than a human deserves, and that’s his choice. But at the end of this? You will submit to what he wants. To do what we want. Do you understand, Kali?”
I detested this monster. Loathed him in such a way that I’d never felt before. I glared at him, wishing for the first time in my life that I was a vampire. One so strong that I could kill Amaros Kane. He was a vile monster. One I wanted to ruin.
“It will happen,” he murmured. “Accepting it will make it easier on you.”
“Just kill me,” I snarled venomously. “I will never accept it.”
I didn’t care. Terror still had me in an iron grip, but that couldn’t stop me from saying the truth. I would rather die in this room than be tethered to Amaros Kane for the rest of my life.
He chuckled darkly, eyeing my necklace. “I don’t need entrancement to know that’s true. But unfortunately for you, that’s not your choice to make. We can talk more about this later. Right now, I want you to help me convince this Clover to tell us what he knows.”
I made sure I was looking right at him when I answered. “No.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll help.” He pulled me back to his chest. My fingers ached under his, but he didn’t loosen his hold at all as he pushed the stake up to Tim’s throat. Viggo had one of Tim’s arms bent up behind his back to keep him immobile.
“Last chance,” Amaros threatened, his words for Tim. “Tell me what I want to know. Or I’ll repeat this lesson. Bring you close to death and heal you, just to do it again.”
“I will never talk,” Tim choked out.
