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“Kali is an orphan, isn’t she?” Pax asked quietly, his brows furrowed.
“Still doesn’t mean anything,” Viggo drawled, lighting up a cigarette. “Half the kids in this world are orphans from the war.”
“I can’t even remember how long ago that was,” I muttered.
“You were seven.” Pax’s words were confident, and I didn’t question him. He was always the best when it came to remembering things. “It was twenty-five years ago. Kali is the right age.”
Viggo rolled his eyes. “Come on. There’s no way.”
“She was found at a train station.”
My words had my brothers going silent. Even Viggo didn’t look as sure anymore. He blew out a lungful of smoke, looking deep in thought.
“The woman…” Pax paused. “Kali does look a bit like her.”
“You remember what she looked like?” I asked, my pulse thudding unevenly. I was hoping that by telling my brothers this, they would have squashed the connection. That there was no way it was possible that Kali was the baby from that night. But clearly, that wasn’t the case.
“We were ten,” Pax replied with a shrug. “I’m sure our memory of that night is better than yours.”
Viggo chuckled. “At least you know that Kali isn’t your long-lost sister. The last time Amaros mated was when he had you. That would have been awkward. You know, since you’ve already slept with her.”
My glare cut to him. “I wasn’t worried about that.”
“Good.” Viggo reached forward and tapped his cigarette over the ashtray on the small table. “You should be worrying about what happens if Amaros finds out. There was a reason he had that woman chained in the basement. And why he was so furious when the baby disappeared.”
“He can’t find out,” Pax agreed. “If it’s true.”
“We don’t tell him,” I said tightly. “Or Kali. Not until we know for sure.”
“You do realize that if it is true, then Kali doesn’t know her real birthday,” Pax murmured. “We didn’t find the woman in June. It was in May.”
“Paperwork wasn’t on the list of priorities back then,” Viggo said with a shrug. “Guessing an orphan’s birthday probably didn’t seem important.”
“That means we have…maybe a couple weeks until her birthday, if it’s true.” I sighed. “Fuck. What if she’s a Shadow?”
There was a knock on the door that had all three of us tensing. It opened, and Jasper walked in. Three more vampires strode in after him, and my stomach clenched. Why would Amaros send four vampires here for a meeting?
Jasper took a seat next to Pax, nodding at us with respect. His dirty blond hair was long and pulled behind his head. He pulled out his own cigarettes and asked for Viggo’s lighter. Jasper looked like a kid, and it had taken years to learn to take him seriously. My father had turned him when he was just seventeen. He had the strength of an older vampire but was stuck in the body of a teen. He was lanky, his face still holding childlike characteristics. But he was ruthless and one of the vampires that Amaros trusted.
“Jasper,” Viggo greeted him, forcing a grin on his face. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”
“Amaros wants the three of you to come to the property.”
Unease slid through me. “Why?”
Jasper glanced at me. “You know why. It’s been more than three months. You’re supposed to come every two.”
I knew this. The job that Amaros wanted done fell on me, not on my brothers. Ever since Kali showed up, I’d been making up excuses not to go to the property, but it seemed that my father’s patience had finally run out.
I jerked a nod. “I’ll leave tomorrow.”
“He wants all three of you to come.” Jasper leaned back against the couch cushions. “And he wants you to bring the girl.”
I went rigid, ice sliding through my veins. “What girl?”
“The one wearing your necklace.” Jasper grinned. “I saw her while walking in here. Have you fed from her yet? She looks delicious. Your father was very excited to tell us about your human.”
“Watch yourself,” I growled, my eyes flashing with warning. “You might be under my father’s protection, but she’s mine. Show some fucking respect or you’ll regret it.”
