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Before my father could stop me, I bolted forward, rounding the building. The truck was gone. But a body was lying on the ground. My heart thundered as I dropped to my knees next to my brother.
Pax groaned. “Get it the fuck out.”
“She did this?” I asked in disbelief.
Lodged in his spine was a wooden stake. In the exact spot I’d taught her on where to paralyze vampires.
“Are you surprised?” Pax gritted out before letting out a hiss when I jerked the stake out. “After what she just saw, I should have known not to turn my back on her.”
“I need to find her.”
I helped Pax up, and then I was searching for another car to take. I needed to catch up to her before she got far.
Chapter 37
Kali
The wind blew my hair as I stared at the dark abyss in front of me. The moonlight allowed me to just see the waves breaking onto the beach, but I could barely hear it. Not when the bloodshed of what had happened hours ago was still ringing in my ears. My clothes were stained with dried blood, and my battered body was aching. But the anguish squeezing my heart was worse. The defeat clung to me like a second skin. The vampires were going to do that to every human city.
Unless someone stopped them.
Remembering I only had so much time before Zan came after me, I hurried down the steps. My boots hit the sand, and I sucked in a deep breath, forcing away the memories that Zan and I shared here. He might not be like his father, but he wasn’t doing anything to change it either. I couldn’t trust him. Especially when Amaros could entrance him.
I ran across the beach, the rocks appearing from the darkness when I was a few feet away. Dropping to my knees, I began lifting them one by one to search for the bag Tim had put here. With a groan, I rolled a heavier boulder to the side. A slice of panic cut through me as I kept looking. What if it wasn’t here? I’d have no protection.
A cry escaped my lips when I caught sight of a black strap. Tossing the last two rocks to the side, I heaved the large duffel bag from its hiding spot. I unzipped it, sifting through the items to see what I had. There were a couple of stakes, a gun with a container of wooden bullets, a small pocketknife, a tub of lotion, and four needles filled with fluid which was no doubt hawthorn. There was no food or water, but that was fine. Weapons were what I needed most. I spotted a small first aid kit. I’d have to clean up my cuts when I had a chance.
A sudden tingle ran down my spine, and I straightened up. Dread trickled through my limbs, and I swallowed thickly. I didn’t turn around to look, but I was positive I wasn’t alone on the beach anymore. I shifted my stance, turning my body slightly while making sure the cap was on the needle. Then I slid it carefully into my leggings pocket.
I reached for the loaded gun when his voice cut through the air.
“I told you there is no running from me, Kali.”
My heart panged. He didn’t sound angry. Or annoyed. This sad, resigned voice was something I’d never heard. Gripping the gun tightly in my hand, I stood up before spinning around.
Zan’s eyes found mine immediately, though it was impossible to read his face, even with the moon out. I could make out that he was still wearing the same blood-stained clothes from earlier. He must have come for me right after he’d found Pax. His gaze dropped to the weapon in my hold before he glanced at the open bag behind me. A frown formed on his lips, and I stood firm, refusing to feel any guilt for hiding this from him.
“Where’d you get that?” he asked in a low voice.
“The Clovers put it here when they raided the city with PARA.” There was no point in lying about it now. “Tim told me about it after you took him from Project Hope.”
He nodded, not saying anything as we stared at each other. Unease had my pulse thudding as I glanced toward where I’d parked the truck on the side of the road above us.
“You’re not leaving,” he said quietly. “You can’t.”
I narrowed my eyes into slits, rage climbing through me. “I sure as hell can’t stay here.”
“You’re staying with me.”
“I’m not,” I screamed, my voice cracking. “I can’t stand by and watch you and your family fucking kill humans. To ruin what we’ve tried so hard to build back up after the war.”
“Most of them were part of PARA,” he shot back. “They didn’t build anything up. They took control, and they’ll do anything to keep it.”
“And what happens if you take PARA down?” I scoffed. “The vampires will let humans live free? Please, Zan. The government might be a devil, but they aren’t as evil as Amaros. As your family. I might have been miserable in Project Hope, but at least I didn’t have to live in fear every second. Worried about being some vampire’s next meal.”
He scowled. “You never have to worry about that when I’m with you.”
I ignored his words. “If those walls fall, every human will have to fend for themselves. They didn’t train like me. They don’t know how to defend themselves. Which is what Amaros wants. Chaos and fear. And humans to feed on at any time.”
