Page 49 of Reluctant Rebel

“What kind of help?” Mikhail asked cautiously.

Zara's gaze intensified as she locked eyes with him. “You see, I have these two brothers that just won’t die. They’re like fucking cockroaches.”

As she spoke, her voice morphed. Once sounding high and husky, her words now resonated with a deeper,familiartimbre.

“Zagan?” Mikhail said aghast.

A cocky grin tilted Z’s lips as his lithe feminine form began to ripple and distort. The illusion of pale vampiric flesh melted away like wax, revealing tanned skin beneath. Delicate features twisted and reshaped themselves—high cheekbones broadened, full lips thinned and curled into a sneer, glossy black hair writhed as if alive, shortening and lightening to a shaggy chestnut undercut. Slender limbs thickened with corded muscle, shoulders broadening as his chest flattened.

Sabre and Draven moved like lightning, their wings expanding and taking up most of the space behind the desk. Sabre pulled Mikhail up from his seat, pushing him behind heras Draven shoved Brax back against the wall. Mikhail and Brax stood frozen, their eyes locked on the figure before them. Z, their baby brother, once cherished and protected, now stood in front of them as their mortal enemy.

The sight of Zagan was bittersweet. Mikhail had grieved his loss alone, without the comfort of Brax. Just as Brax had done without him to share the pain. It had been a terribly dark time for Mikhail, and he’d almost given in and revealed himself to Brax thousands of times. It was only Sabre commanding him to suck it up and stick to the plan that he didn’t run home crying. Mikhail was happy to see Zagan alive, yet at the same time, he wanted to rip his brother’s throat out. It was quite the conundrum.

Sabre didn’t seem to think so because she launched herself into the air, her wings lashing out furiously at his now laughing brother. Zagan, ever agile, leapt gracefully out of the way. “What? No hug?” he taunted, his eyes like their mother’s, alight with mischief.

He certainly didn’t look like a man trapped in a room full of people who wanted him dead.

“Zagan, how could you?” was all Mikhail could think to say.

“It was easy, really,” Z admitted with a smile. He kept a wary eye on Sabre as she circled him but continued to speak mildly. “Killing isn’t difficult. The first time is a little nerve-wracking, I’ll admit. But every time after that is like flicking a switch.” He held up his hand, miming pressing a button. “Breathing. Not breathing. Alive. Dead.” He looked at Sabre. “Am I right?”

“You’resoright,” Sabre snarled, launching her stake.

It shot from her hand like a bullet, whizzing through the air. Z made no attempt to move. He simply raised his right hand and snatched the wooden projectile from the air. “Nice try,” he commented before looking at Mikhail and Brax once more. “I don’t know why you’re so mad. I’m doing you both a favour.”

“Of course you are,” Brax growled sarcastically. He pushed past Draven, who was still standing protectively in front of him. “Zagan, you’re a fucking psycho who needs to be put down.”

“And who’s going to do it? You?” Z inquired with a smirk. “Tell me, have you noticed any changes recently? Maybe you’re feeling stronger or quicker. Or perhaps your senses are sharper?”

Brax narrowed his eyes. “What do you know about that?”

Z shrugged negligently. “I know you have me to thank for it.”

Brax wasn’t buying it. “Bullshit. Why would you make me stronger when you know you have to fight me?”

“Because I’m good like that,” Z declared, sarcasm thick in his voice. He looked at Mikhail. “Besides, it’s not just you. How are you feeling these days, Miki?”

“Don’t call me that.” Mikhail lashed out immediately. The sound of his childhood nickname on Zagan’s lips hurt like hell. Z merely shrugged, his cocky grin remaining in place. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I feel normal.”

And he did, he assured himself. Sure, he was feeling off-balance, but that could be attributed to his return. Not to mention, discovering he had a fated mate in Jinx.

“To answer your previous question, Braxy-boy, that wasn’t exactly the plan,” Z began, shaking his head at Sabre when she pulled out a gun and cocked it. “Sabre threw a spanner in the works. Mikhail is supposed to be dead; you would have been by now as well. Hence, no new superpowers for either of you. Only me.”

“Only you?” Mikhail latched onto the words.

“Oh, yes,” Zagan hissed gleefully. “You have no idea what’s coming. It didn’t have to be this way. I did think about letting you in on the plan. But I knew you wouldn’t approve. You were always too weak to embrace true power,” Z spat scornfully.

“And you were always blinded by your own ambitions,” Mikhail retorted loudly. “You were never satisfied with what you had—always pushing for more. You’ve always been an entitled, spoiled brat.”

Z whistled low. “That was a rousing speech, brother,” he said, applauding. “Don’t forget a mummy’s boy.”

“You’ll be seeing your mummy soon,” Sabre stated coolly, aiming her gun at Z’s head.

Mikhail stopped her before she could fire. “Sabre, wait. Zagan, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Bonus powers?” He shook his head. “I don’t care about that. But I do care about the repercussions. The souls, Z. Think about the souls.”

Z’s head cocked to the side. “Thisisnews. What souls?”

“Don’t play dumb, Z,” Brax growled. “You know damn well what souls. Just tell us why. Why would you want to eradicate multiple species?”

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