Page 116 of Quiet Burn

“I don’t think I’ve seen you without them yet,” he murmurs in response.

Slash speaks before I can growl back, looking just as annoyed as I am when he unshifts his fin. “We all must suffer for this trip, little demon. But the Prince is correct—we know Luca and his wife are probably in cahoots with Darkstar.”

“We aren’t sure of who else might be helping outside of the demon community, either.” Anton doesn’t wear any external signs of his animal form so unlike the three of us, he doesn’t have to adjust. However, he looks around carefully regardless, because his and X’s images are fairly well known by demons everywhere. Their faces are flashy enough to compare to celebutantes up here.

“Okay, okay. Trust no one. I get it, guys,” Kit says as he slips his kinkajou in the messenger bag. “If all that’s true, we should make our way towards shops or something. Annie and X will need something to cover up their fabulousness. All of you look like you need glasses because you’re squinting so much—I assume sunglasses would be helpful.”

I want to argue with him; I really do. But the little shit has a point, as much as I hate to admit it.

“Fine,” I say as I pull out my phone. Scrolling for a moment, I find the settings that will allow it to work on the surface. A moment later I have service, so I use an app for a supernatural ride share service. “I’ve called transportation. It won’t be fancy, but unless we want the people we need to investigate to know we’re here, this is how it needs to go.”

Salem and Oriel are flanking the former human as he looks around. I nod at them, then look at the kid, hoping they understand that I’m tasking them with sticking close to him. Kit won’t be upset by that, and I need to focus on getting us to the main part of Bay City without being recognized. Once we get there, we can do as he suggested then wander the main area to get a sense of what’s happening in the city.

“Can someone tell me what the hell we think this…guyand hiswifemight be doing?” Kit looks at all of us expectantly and I realize he’s being vague because he doesn’t know if any of the demons walking around in the area are listening.

At least he’s not dumb.

“We don’t know, Kit Kat,” Oriel says as he squints at the sky then back at us. He must be itching to fly off and spy in his animal form, but that’s not an option for today. “But the scuttlebutt is that he was up here, in this area, before Halloween. Some kind of party is what I picked up when I did some scouting of the shitheads in the office.”

I nod, my eyes darting around as I watch for familiar faces or our damn car to arrive. “It could be coincidental, but it’s not likely. Thatguyhas always been unhappy with current leadership and hiswifeis just as crafty. Finding like minded demons who have eyes and ears in the courts might have given them the ability to push something like the Games.”

“To wipe you guys out?”

The wide, worried eyes of the small dude look at me and the oddest urge to comfort him comes over me. I frown, clenching my fists at my side as I shrug, pretending it’s not a big deal.“Probably. Take us out, start a war, and ascend is how our parents got their chairs at the big tables.”

“Couldn’t they do that without a big fucking mess like these Games are going to be?” he asks softly. “I mean, it seems like alotof work for something they could hire assassins or whatever demons have. Right?”

Slash grins toothily and I scowl at him until the sharp teeth fade. “I have assassins for breakfast, little demon. At least five since this summer, to be exact.”

Kit looks at me for confirmation and I shrug again, enjoying his expression as he realizes the big guy he’s cuddling up with is completely serious.

But then he shocks the shit out of me.

“Well… good. If they’re coming for my family, then they deserve it. I hope you make it hurt, big guy.”

That makes my general look almost giddy and the others collapse in laughter. I rub my temples, unable to process what just happened without feeling like my brain box is going to fucking explode. Luckily for me, a big SUV with dark tinted windows pulls up in front of us just in time to keep me from having to deal with any of them.

“Let’s get moving. We have things to do and limited time.”

Plus, I have no idea what the fuck to do with the shrimp’s newfound approval of murder.

Surprise

Kit/Kat

Now that we’re all piled into this weirdly assembled SUV, I’ve gotsomany questions. I know it’s going to piss Jasper off to ask them, but I have to know what the hell is going on and I don’t have the knowledge base the others do. He doesn’t think about that because they’re all so used to working together. But I’m not here to stroke his fucking ego or pretend I trust every damn decision he makes—I have to learn things before they put me in danger.

“How did we call for this car? How did your?—”

Before I can finish, the Prince scowls at me across the limo-esque seating, holding his finger in the air. I have no idea what the hell that means, but the others all pull out their phones and start fiddling with them. I press my lips together as I get mine out, petting Dottie as I do so. She hugs my finger, helping me calm my ire at the silent shushing the asshole is giving me. It takes a moment, but X leans across, grabbing my phone with a wink.

At least they’re aware that bowing to Jasper’s will is making me want to lash out.

Xerxes does whatever they’re all doing to my phone, then nods at Anton, who murmurs under his breath. My hearing is getting better, so I catch a bunch of Latin that means zero to me. He finally stops and nods at Jasper, who puts his finger down.

“We needed to make certain we will not be eavesdropped on,” Anton says as X hands me my phone. “Our rooms, our floor, and our table in theTricliniumare already safe. That’s one of the things Xerxes and I did as soon as we arrived in the summertime. There’s also enchantments to discourage any other students from approaching them so we don’t get low level spies.”

Oh, wait, is that another reason Prince Prickface was mad about me being assigned their floor?

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