Page 45 of Property of Mako
The girls.
We wove deeper into the crowd. No one blocked us, but I could feel the glances slide over us, weighing, measuring. There was a different kind of danger here—more refined than back-alley ambushes, but far more lethal. One wrong move and we’d be surrounded before I could even bare my teeth.
Then I saw him.
Thane.
He was standing near the base of the staircase, speaking to a pair of witches in gowns stitched with silver runes. His black suit was cut to perfection, his dark hair tied back, and that trademark smile carved onto his face like it was painted there. His eyes found me for a fraction of a second, then moved on as if I were nothing.
But I knew he’d clocked me.
Dexter leaned toward me slightly, murmuring under his breath. “If he knows, we’re fucked.”
“Then he won’t know,” I replied. My gaze never left Thane as we drifted toward the east wing.
The glamour here was strong. I could feel the magic pulsing through the walls, cloaking whatever was behind them. But every now and then, the veil shimmered just enough for me to glimpse movement—shadows shifting, a pale face peering out before vanishing.
Lily was in there. I could feel it in my bones.
“Crypt, you in position?” I murmured.
“Two guards down. Moving in,” he replied. In the background, I heard the faint sound of claws hitting marble.
Spook’s voice followed. “I’ll be in the shadows. Signal when ready.”
We were almost at the side door when Thane’s voice slid across the space between us like silk over a blade.
“Well, well. The Kings of Anarchy. And here I thought you didn’t receive invitations.”
Lyra stiffened beside Dexter. I forced my body into stillness before turning toward him, letting the corner of my mouth curl just slightly.
“Would’ve been rude not to show,” I said.
Thane’s smile deepened, but his eyes—those icy, inhuman eyes—never left mine. “Oh, I agree. After all, tonight’s offerings are… exquisite.”
My fingers itched for the hilt of my blade. Not yet. Not here.
He scented Dexter and his gaze narrowed. “What exactly are you?” he asked as I stared deep into Dexter’s gaze.
“None of your business,” Dexter shot back with an arrogant stare. He was playing the part of a powerful ancient well.
Thane chuckled darkly as he inclined his head slightly toward Lyra. “And this must be your… pet?”
Dexter’s grip on her arm tightened almost imperceptibly. “Yes. She’s mine.”
Thane’s gaze lingered on her a moment too long, something dark and knowing flashing there before he turned away. “Enjoy the festivities, gentlemen. They promise to be unforgettable.”
He drifted back into the crowd like smoke, and only when he was gone did I let my jaw unclench.
We didn’t have much time.
I tapped the comm twice—our signal.
Almost instantly, the crystal chandelier above the central ballroom shuddered violently. A sharp snap rang out and the massive fixture came crashing down, glass and gold scattering like a hail of deadly stars. Screams erupted. The music died in a violent string snap.
In the chaos, Dexter, Lyra, and I crept the rest of the way along the edge of the room toward the curtained hall leading to the east wing. Right before we darted through, I made a sweep of the room to see if we’d been seen. Thane was barking orders to the two goons at the top of the stairs and didn’t seem to be paying attention to us.
The corridor was empty, and Lyra’s heels clicked on the fine, white marble as we hurried toward where Spook waited. My brows lifted, impressed at the three dead guards piled up and tucked into an alcove.
