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Rage began building, a hot rush shooting through my veins. “Can’t or won’t?”

“Won’t.”

I thrashed, feeling his hold tighten on my wrists. My chest heaved, and I sucked in deep breaths as something washed over me. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to process what I was feeling. My skin tingled, and I let out a small cry when it all exploded. Strength that I didn’t know I possessed jolted through every cell in my body. I was full of it.The power.Energy that I wasn’t sure I’d even tapped into yet.

Snapping my eyes open, I met Zan’s curious stare and let out a wild laugh. Planting my feet on the mattress, I bucked my hips, and this time Zan lost balance.

“Shit,” he grunted when I yanked hard enough to free one of my wrists.

He scrambled to grab me again, but I slammed my palm into his chest, shoving hard enough for him to tumble off me. I pushed him again, and he ground out a curse as he rolled off the edge of the mattress. Since he was still holding my other wrist hostage, I went to the floor with him. I landed on top of him, but he didn’t wait long to try to get the upper hand. He kept my arm captive while trying to climb back on top of me.

“Look at that,” he mused. “You’ve been holding out on me, Kali.”

I didn’t spare the energy to tell him that he was wrong. I had no idea where this came from. And I wasn’t sure it would last. Already, I could feel it waning.

“I lied,” he said quietly. “Warner is still here on the property.”

I fell still. “What?”

“Only my father left.” He caught my ankle when I tried crawling away. “Where’re you going? You haven’t gotten free yet.”

“Zan,” I snapped when he dragged me back.

“Free yourself.” He repeated his earlier words.

He let me get on my feet only for him to grasp my hips, pushing his body into mine as he pinned me to the wall. I shoved on his chest, and this time it did absolutely nothing.

“Right now, your anger is what fuels your strength.” His hands left my waist, and he placed his knuckles under my chin, tilting my face up. “It’s not a constant yet, and it won’t be until closer to when your transition is complete. And that is why you’re not going anywhere on this property alone.”

“You think your father’s vampires would come after me?”

“I’m not taking the chance.”

I took in his words, my gaze locked on his. “Were you using your full strength against me just now?”

He cocked his head, a smirk playing on his lips. “Maybe.”

My heart pounded, excitement rushing through me. If I was as strong as Zan, then maybe once I fully transitioned, I would be able to challenge Amaros.

Zan mumbled a curse, his head snapping to the side to stare at the door. With a frown, I followed his gaze, focusing harder to hear what he clearly already noticed. There were faint footsteps before someone knocked on the door.

“This better be an emergency,” Zan called out, annoyance in his voice.

The door swung open, revealing Viggo in the doorway. He raised an eyebrow, a grin on his lips when Zan took a step away from me.

“Come on, we need to talk.” He jerked a nod, expecting us to follow. “In Dad’s office.”

“Why in his office?” I asked, looking at Zan.

“It’s one place no one can eavesdrop,” he muttered before looking at his brother. “Where’s Pax?”

“Waiting for us.”

Zan sighed. “Then let’s go.”

I didn’t protest when he grabbed my hand before we walked out of the room. He was doing that every time we went anywhere. Viggo walked beside us, his hands in his jeans’ pockets. There were a couple vampires milling around as we strode down the hall, but Viggo and Zan ignored them.

We passed the rotunda, and my pulse thudded when we turned down another hall. The last time I was here was the night I ended up in the pool with Zan and I found out that Amaros could entrance him.