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Making it to the top of the steps, I made sure to keep my eyes locked on his, only thinking about my desire to entrance him. A blank look sprawled across his face as he fell under my control. Satisfaction filled me as I stood in front of him once I made sure there was no one else around.

“Where is Viggo?” I asked in a low voice.

“I don’t know.”

I pursed my lips, nerves filling me. “Do you know where the blood bags are?”

“Yes.”

“Go get one, and bring it to me,” I ordered. “Tell no one what you’re doing. And hurry up. Oh, and bring me a piece of paper and a pen. Go.”

He spun around and ran down the hall. I shifted on my feet, impatience taking over nearly all my other emotions. Once I got blood, I’d be able to think more clearly. Closing my eyes, Icalmed my heartbeat to focus on the noises in the house. There were a few vampires milling around, but since the sun had come up, most were already sleeping.

“What are you doing, Kali?”

Snapping my eyes open, I whirled around to see Gia standing at the end of the hall. How did I not hear her footsteps? She was leaning against the wall, her arms crossed as she watched me curiously.

“Did you entrance that vampire?” she questioned softly, keeping her voice just above a whisper. “That’s a gift your mother didn’t possess.”

“Walk away, Gia,” I hissed, emotions warring inside me. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Her lips tipped up in a smile. “You care about me?”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” I repeated. “But I’m leaving, and I’m not coming back.”

“Amaros won’t just let you walk away.”

“He’s not here,” I snapped. “I’ll be long gone before he can follow at nightfall.”

“I’m not going to stop you,” she admitted, her words shocking me. “But you might want to go before Viggo realizes what you’re up to.”

“Come with me,” I blurted out. “You can help. And tell me about my mother. Amaros is going to be furious. I don’t want him to take it out on you.”

She shook her head. “He won’t kill me. And I can’t come with you. I’m not a Shadow, Kali.”

She couldn’t walk in the sun. Indecision tore through me. Why did I care about what happened to Gia? I wasn’t sure, but I did. Amaros’s wrath when he found me gone would be terrible.

New footsteps caught my attention, and the vampire appeared behind Gia with a bag of blood in one hand and paper in the other. I licked my lips, resisting the urge to tear the bloodbag from his hands. It was so strong, the control that blood had on me. How long would this last?

When he got close enough, I snatched the blood from his hand, ripped the top open, and began drinking it immediately. The tangy taste washed over my taste buds as I swallowed hungrily. I was vaguely aware of Gia striding closer, but I didn’t slow down even when blood dribbled down my chin. Just like the last time I fed, my senses grew sharper—more honed.

“If you want to leave, you better hurry.”

Gia’s words jolted me out of my blood lust. I glanced up, meeting her gaze as I wiped my chin. Her small smile was comforting, and in some weird way, it reminded me of what a mother would do.

“When you leave, stay hidden. If Amaros catches you, that will be the end,” she warned. “Be careful. Only trust Zan and his brothers.”

“Where is Viggo?”

She chuckled. “Busy. You might want to go before he finds out what you’re doing. Because he will stop you if you’re still on this property.”

I grabbed the paper and pen from the vampire as I caught his eye. “You’re going to forget that you saw me and continue to guard this door as if I’m still downstairs in the cage. Understand?”

“Yes.”

I rushed down the hall, only stopping when Gia grabbed my upper arm. She squeezed gently, her eyes boring into mine.

“Your mother died to protect you,” she whispered, pain filtering into her voice. “You and your twin can either save humanity or allow vampires to rule the world. You make the choice, Kali.”