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Surprise flashed in his eyes, and he stared at me intently, his mouth opening before he glanced down the beach. He swallowed his words, only giving me a nod. My words made it seem like I was staying to help the Clovers. To uncover information that could be useful.
And I was. But would I ever be able to use it? Probably not. But Warner didn’t know that. If that was what he thought, it would make it easier to get him to walk away from me. He needed to let me go, and this was the best way to do it.
“Time’s up.”
Zan stepped up to my side, sliding his arm around my waist. Warner’s eyes narrowed into slits watching Zan tighten his possessive hold on me.
“Take your friend and go,” Zan ordered in a dangerously soft voice. “Before I change my mind.”
Shock engulfed me as I turned to see one of the men standing a few feet away. He was staring at us but not really seeing. Zan must have entranced him to forget all of this. Blood covered the side of his face, and his eye was swollen shut, but I couldn’t deny my surprise that Zan had left him alive. Warner gritted his teeth, his gaze cutting back to me.
“If you can leave, find me,” he said gruffly. “We’re staying?—”
“Don’t,” Zan warned.
Warner glared at him defiantly. “We’re staying a few hours from here. You know where Project Faith is. There’s a bridge ten miles north. Our camp is near there.”
Project Faith was another safe city, just like Project Hope. I’d heard of it, but I’d never ventured close to it.
I nodded, acknowledging his words. Zan let me go, not giving Warner a chance to look away before he entranced him again. My heart pounded against my ribs as I wondered what Zan was going to say.
“Are you going to tell the Clovers about this?” Zan asked.
“No.”
“Why?”
“To protect Kali.”
“Don’t come back here,” Zan commanded. “Tell the Clovers that there is no way into my city. Only more of your men will die if you try. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“You will forget that I can walk in the sun.” Zan was protecting his secret, but relief filled me that he wasn’t doing more. Warner would leave here knowing I hadn’t betrayed him. He wouldn’t hate me anymore. Even if I didn’t see him again, that thought still made me feel better.
Zan released his mind control hold, and Warner blinked before stumbling back. I swallowed through the lump in my throat, lunging forward and giving Warner one last hug.
“Be careful,” I whispered. “I’ll see you soon.”
My last words were lies, but he didn’t need to know that. This still hurt, but it was nowhere near as painful as the last goodbye when we were in the cabin.
“Bye, Kali,” Warner murmured, looking conflicted before backing away from me. “Stay alive.”
Zan looked at the other Clover. “Go.”
Both he and Warner made their way to the stairs, and soon they disappeared from view. I heard the truck engines, and a couple of seconds later, I watched as the vehicles tore down the road.
“Do I have to worry?” Zan asked in a low voice.
I looked at him with a frown. “Worry about what?”
“You going to find him now that you know where he’s at.”
I rolled my eyes. “Sure, Zan. I’ll walk right into a camp full of Clovers who want me dead.”
My sarcasm didn’t help, and he scowled as we walked across the beach. I was positive that if he was able to entrance me, he would. If only to just make me forget that I knew where Warner was. Zan knew I still wasn’t completely happy here. That I would choose to be with humans rather than vampires if I had a choice. Warner telling me about his camp location was another avenue I could use to try and leave.
“Let’s go,” he said gruffly. “I’m taking you home, and then I have to clean this up.”
