Page 85 of Bite of Vengeance

“You’re different,” she whispered. “I can feel it.”

Her gaze went behind me, surprise on her face when she noticed I wasn’t alone. Unlike last time, there wasn’t any fear on her face, but she didn’t exactly look pleased that Pax and Viggo were here.

“You read the papers I gave you?” she questioned, looking back at me.

“Yes. Learning about what happened when the war started was interesting.”

“Come with me.” She grabbed my hand and began pulling me toward the back of the library.

“Hey,” Viggo protested. “Where are you going?”

I glanced over my shoulder to see both of them following us. “I’m fine. Let us talk.”

Pax frowned. “Zan will not be happy if we let you out of our sight.”

“Let me?” I bit out. “Try again, Pax. I thought we were past the point of you two trying to tell me what to do.”

He scrubbed a hand down his face. “We’re just trying to keep you safe.”

“We’re not going anywhere,” Asami said nervously. “I just want to show her something.”

“Show me,” I said. “They can wait here.”

Viggo grumbled something under his breath as I strode farther into the library. Asami moved the rug, making me realize she wanted to go into the hidden cellar. She lifted the door and motioned for me to go down first.

I climbed down the short ladder, my feet landing on the cement floor. Even though there were no lights on yet, I could see that nothing had changed in the years since I’d been downhere. Asami followed me down and then flicked on the single light.

“You’re a Shadow, aren’t you?” she questioned.

My heart skipped. “Yes,” I choked out. “But I’m different. I don’t know what I am.”

“Tell me.”

So I did. I told her everything that had happened since I left Project Hope. How I met Zan. Everything about Amaros. My transition. Finding out about Keeva. How my blood changed Shadows and vampires back to human. We stood there as everything exploded out of me. By the time I finished, my heart was aching from thinking about everything I’d been through.

Asami didn’t interrupt me once, and when I finally stopped talking, she just stared at me as if she could see inside my soul. Then she smiled.

“I knew years ago that you were special,” she said softly. “I could feel it.”

She turned away from me before sorting through stacks of loose papers. I stayed silent as she kept digging for whatever she was looking for. I tilted my head, hearing Viggo and Pax talk amongst each other upstairs. I was positive they were listening to our every word, but I wasn’t trying to hide anything from them.

“Here it is,” Asami breathed out. “It’s been years since I’ve read it.”

She turned to face me, holding it out to me. Apprehension shot through me for some reason as I stared at the paper in her hands.

“What is it?” I asked quietly.

“This is a written copy of a passage that someone had seen centuries ago. It’s been passed down for generations. The original copy has been with the Kane family for generations until PARA stole it from them decades ago. I’m not sure who has itnow. But this paper has been talked about in my circle for as long as I can remember. It was given to me to keep safe.” She held it closer. “Read it, Kali. Please.”

My hand trembled slightly as I took the paper from her. It was stiff, and yellow from age. What if this had the answers I’d been looking for? Knots twisted painfully in my stomach. What if they weren’t the answers I wanted? Blowing out a long breath, I lowered my eyes and began reading.

What is seen is not the truth. Humans walk this land, unknowing that creatures walk beside them with blood black as night running in their veins. Creatures so strong and so powerful that humans would be forced to bow if they deemed it. Those creatures desire peace. If that changes, the world changes.

Nature requires a balance. A balance of light and dark. Of predator and prey. One bloodline is responsible for upholding that balance. When peace is threatened, and the balance is tipped, two souls will be born to that bloodline. Mirrors of each other in every way. One will be gifted the power to take, while the other has the power to give. Their bloodline will always succeed and never extinguish. The two connected souls are not born of every generation, but only when it is required.

To protect themselves, their strength will rival the greatest evils of the world. Their transitions are swift. Their minds are their own. They choose to be the dark or the light. It’s a precarious balance that must be kept. For the one who chooses the dark path may not find the light. That soul will have to be contained. It is the duty of the light to keep the balance if that happens. For not one can live without the other.

The dark and light will always be linked, never to be broken.

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