Page 15 of Titan

The items on display within the brotherhood’s penthouse are either artifacts given to us by a member of the Strange to protect or works of art gifted or purchased over the centuries. I will not be the cause of anyone feeling the same pain we feel over the Keystone’s loss.

“Which is why we take care of this now,” I say firmly. “Now, Rook, what did the coven have to say?”

“Drusila will be here soon to go over everything they discovered.”

“Does she think the coven will be able to narrow it down to where it is in the building?”

“She isn’t sure. The power imbued in it is too great, and the signal it creates is overwhelming. They’ll be lucky to even be able to pinpoint the building itself.”

“Dredd and I did a preliminary fly by early this morning,” Stiel interjects, stepping in line with Rook.

“And?”

“Security guards at every entry point.” Dredd doesn’t move from his spot at the end of the hall.

“This isn’t Freddy’s primary residence but a loft space he newly acquired in a building popular with celebrities. We should expect a higher level of security,” Stiel adds. “Even more on the night of the event.”

“The guards, are they all human?”

“Yes. Everyone we’ve surveilled going in or out of the building has been human,” he answers quickly, looking over at Dredd as if he expects him to interject.

It’s a rule among the Strange. We do not harm humans unless they first act against us. Since most humans don’t know we exist, it has never been a difficult command to obey, though Dredd might beg to differ.

“We’ll have to find a way to get me inside. Search the place that way.” My tail taps in irritation against the doorframe. When I look back, I see Julianna staring, seemingly enthralled by the rhythmic thump of my ridges against the wood. I keep tapping past my initial frustration for her amusement.

“The last job I worked for the shifters was in a nearby high-rise on the same block,” Knox jumps in, having just finished surveillance with the wolf shifters only a couple days ago. Bruder Security works frequently with the wolves. “They’ll notice someone snooping around. Better to go in at the event when you can blend in with a crowd of new people.”

“I’m not waiting two weeks,” I growl out, the sudden burst of irritation brought on by the Pull.

“You don’t have to,” Stiel says quickly. “I hacked into his personal assistant’s email last night. Freddy is hosting a wrap party for a movie at the loft. It’s a personal project of his, so it will be a small crowd, but there are enough people invited that I can easily add you to the guest list without anyone noticing.”

“Good.” I nod, the Pull quieting at the formation of a plan. “That will let me figure out where he is keeping the Keystone and what we need to do to retrieve it. Now, what about the artifact unveiling? Can you get me an invite?”

“That is a much more tightly guarded list. I found mentions of it in the assistant’s emails, but it appears that Freddy only keeps a physical copy of who he invites to the auction itself. My guess is that his friends are into the same illegal collector’s items as he is. No one he invites wants to be on a hackable list.”

“Fine.” I nod. “I’ll enter as one of the guests at the wrap party, scout out the Keystone’s location and the security detail surrounding it. Stiel, I’ll need you to tap into the cameras across the street. Rook, keep in contact with the coven. Hopefully, Drusila will have good news for us today. Otherwise, Dredd, Stiel, you’re on rooftops Saturday night. Got it?”

The gargoyles nod, and Eden writes furiously on her tablet.

“If I can snatch the Keystone then, I will, but if not, I’ll just have to convince Freddy that I’m worth inviting to his unveiling.”

A laugh, seeming to burst from nowhere, like a dam breaking, fills the bedroom and hallway. It is quickly snuffed out when I turn to face Julianna.

“You’ve got something to say?” I snap.

I watch as her whole body freezes, and a hint of panic crosses her eyes. I wait for the moment her gaze turns to fear. But it never does. She defrosts quickly, and the fire returns, lighting up her face and heating her brown eyes to molten molasses as the light catches the gold flecks in her irises.

“Have you seen you?” She stifles another giggle.

I narrow my eyes and furrow my heavy brows in a look that’s meant to communicate she is treading on thin ice, but the little thief corrects herself quickly.

“I mean your human form, since I’m assuming you’re not sneaking in with the rest of his artifact collection.”

“It was suggested, but Freddy doesn’t appear to collect statuary, so Titan would be out of place,” Rook answers seriously.

I hear Eden choke out a laugh and quickly turn it into a cough.

“Until last night, you didn’t know Freddy had your Keystone thing. You don’t even know the world of entertainment he operates in or the people he deals with, but you want to blend in with them?” She pauses for a second, gulping as she seems to realize she has the attention of five monsters trained on her, but she doesn’t stop. “Hell, I don’t know the guy personally, but I’ve heard enough stories about him when I was acting. I know the world of wrap parties and pushy directors and entitled studio heads. And you aren’t exactly inconspicuous. I knew something was up with you from the moment we met.”

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