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“Now if that were true, why would we try so hard to get into the city unnoticed?” I questioned while I tied the other boot. “We could have burned it down like we did Project Peace, but here we are.”

He didn’t need to know that Project Hope was far better protected than some of the other human cities. Even so, I wassure my father had enough vampires to overtake it. But that wouldn’t guarantee us getting Keeva out, which was why we were doing it this way.

Pax’s voice filtered through the trees, and I spotted him with his hand around the throat of another PARA member. He already had him under entrancement, and I glanced at my watch to make sure we were still on schedule.

“Hurry up, Pax,” I called. “Sunset is in less than an hour. The convoy will be going back to the city soon.”

“I’m going,” he ground out as he tugged off his shirt. “I can hear the others.”

I tilted my head, hearing the rushing river that was close. Focusing harder, I caught the voices Pax had heard. My heartbeat sped up, knowing it was almost time. I slipped the mask on, and then put the goggles over my eyes, letting out a grumble when I realized it messed with my vision. The reflective lenses made everything off color, but humans loved them since vampires couldn’t use entrancement when they were on. I pushed them on top of my head, facing Collin again.

“Do not say a word,” I ordered when I caught his gaze. “When we start walking, you follow without making a sound.”

“I’m ready,” Pax said, his voice muffled slightly from the mask.

Collin’s partner was following Pax, and he was already dressed in the extra clothes we’d brought. The guy was larger than my brother and his uniform was a bit too large, but nothing super noticeable, which would make this easier. Pax wouldn’t have to change into another uniform once we found the others who were patrolling the forest.

Warner stared at Collin with a frown. “What about them?”

“You’re staying with them.”

“What? I’m coming with you?—”

“No,” I cut him off sharply. “Pax and I are going. Your job is to stay with them.”

“Fuck off,” he spat out. “You want me to just sit here?”

I halted in my tracks, whirling around. “That’s exactly what you’re going to do. You’re a liability. You don’t have our strength. And I still half expect you to try to fuck us over. You’re staying out here where you can’t mess anything up.”

“Fuck you over?” he repeated, fury raising in his voice. “You turned me into one of you.”

Annoyance rushed through my veins as I stepped closer to him. “Yes, I did. That’s the only fucking reason you’re standing here right now. You think you’d still be alive if PARA kept you?”

“You didn’t do that for me,” he snapped, shoving me back. “You did it for Kali.”

I grabbed his throat, making him grunt in pain when I yanked him closer. “Yes, I saved your life. Multiple times now. And I’ll keep doing it—for her. But do not mistake that for kindness. Now, you’re going to stop arguing and do what I say or we’re going to have fucking problems.”

His eyes flashed with anger, and he straightened his spine, defiance crossing his face. I arched an eyebrow, studying his reaction. He was mad, that was nothing new. But this was different. Warner was transitioning. His desire to challenge me was more than just about his loathing of me. His mentality was changing, and I had a feeling he wasn’t fighting me because of his loyalty to humans—but for his love for Kali.

My jaw ticked in annoyance as I stared at him. Life would be so much fucking easier if he weren’t here. If I had my way, he would have been gone long ago. I was doing this for Kali. Because she saw him as family. I could tolerate him for her happiness.

Pax appeared at my side. “Let’s go.”

Collin and the other human followed behind us with Warner walking beside them. Pax led us deeper into the woods, and soon I could hear the two other PARA members ahead of us. My heart pounded in my chest, nerves rushing through me. The government would know we were going behind their backs if they caught us trying to get Kali’s twin. If we fucked this up, there was a large possibility that our agreement would mean nothing.

“You got everything we need?” Pax asked quietly.

“Yeah.” I turned to face Warner. “There’s a truck right over there. You’re going to take them, sit there, and wait for us.”

Warner frowned. “And if you don’t come back?”

“We will,” Pax grated out. “But if we’re not back in five hours, then drive away. Go to Deadwood.”

“Deadwood?”

I sighed. “The city we kept you in. Go to Impulse. Gia is supposed to be visiting tomorrow.”

Turning my attention to Collin, I pulled him back under entrancement. “You will obey everything Warner says until he says the wordapple. You will not remember being entranced, and you will not remember seeing the three of us.”