He shrugged again, checking his watch with maddening nonchalance. “If we don’t keep moving, we’re going to be late. And you don’t want them to kill me before we even get the chance to hear I’m the winner, do you?”
I let out a slow breath. Gods, I wanted to throttle him. “I swear, if they don’t kill you by the end of this night, I will,” I muttered under my breath, loud enough for him to hear but not enough for him to take it seriously.
Will’s laughter was so carefree that I wanted to scream. How could he be so flippant when we were walking into the lion’s den with nothing but a flimsy invitation and a program he’d coded in his bedroom?
We stopped at a parking garage where Roberto’s SUV was still in the same parking spot it always was. Even though he’d been dead for several months, no one had done anything with his SUV. I thought for sure someone would realize it wasn’t being used and steal it. Celeste told me it was there if we ever needed it, and I figured this was a solid reason.
As we drove closer, the oppressive darkness of the nearing Wraith territory seemed to press in on us. I could hear the faintest whispers in the wind, eerie echoes that I tried to convince myself were simply tricks of my mind. But I knew better. The wraiths could smell fear.
I swallowed hard. “We’re unarmed, Will. You do realize that, right? No weapons, no magic, no way to defend ourselves if things go south. How exactly do you plan on walking out of there alive if they decide you’re not worth the trouble?” Will had insisted we leave all weapons and even our cell phones back at the apartment, claiming they’d be confiscated at the door of the convention.
He glanced at me from the passenger seat, a cocky grin on his lips. “We’ll just have to rely on my winning charm, Viv.”
I wanted to shake him, to force him to see the reality of the situation, but I knew it would be no use. He was laser-focused, that dumbass grin plastered onto his face as if he wasn’t about to walk into a fucking death trap.
And what the hell was I doing? I was playing his chauffeur. If there was one thing I’d learned in all my years of dealing with the underbelly of The Below, it was that loyalty came with a steep price. Will might have been reckless, but he was all I had left. And I couldn’t let him face this madness alone.
As we reached the border, I could see various expensive cars and sleek limousines lined up, dropping off passengers who looked like they belonged at a high-society gala, not at the edge of one of the most dangerous places in The Below.
After parking the SUV, we walked deeper into the shadows. I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched. Those unseen eyes were tracking our every move. If the lords and leaders of the lunar convention didn’t kill Will for his audacity, I had no doubt the wraiths would happily finish the job.
I stopped and scanned the area.
Will turned back to me, impatience etched on his face. “What now, Viv?”
“Nothing,” I muttered, watching the darkness around us uneasily. “Just thinking how convenient it is that the convention is being held here. No Veil Guard oversight, no laws, no rules.”
Will smirked, adjusting the lapels of his jacket. “I know. That’s why it’s perfect. They’ve got complete freedom here. No one to get in their way.”
Great, I thought bitterly as I adjusted my glasses. Of course, he’d find that exciting while I was trying to keep us from getting killed.
I glanced at the crowd dressed in tuxedos, flowing gowns, and dripping with jewels that glittered like stars in the dim light. They looked like they were heading to some glamorous awards ceremony, not wading into a territory filled with death and decay. As we walked, I couldn’t help but feel out of place, my practical black dress suddenly too plain and my nerves far too frayed.
I remembered Celeste’s warnings about this place.Watch for incubi, wraiths, the undead… they’re always looking for their next victim.To my surprise, the usual haunts were nowhere in sight. It was unnervingly quiet. No glimmer of red eyes in the shadows, no whispers carried by the wind. Maybe the convention organizers had paid them off to keep things civilized for the night. Or maybe they were simply waiting for the right moment to strike.
Either way, I kept my senses sharp, my eyes darting over every shadow and alleyway as we followed the well-dressed throng deeper into the territory. The path ahead was lined with crumbling buildings that looked like they’d collapse at the slightest touch. Then, as if it had been pulled from another world entirely, a massive structure loomed ahead. It was one of the few buildings that seemed untouched by time, its grand stone walls standing tall and imposing against the bleak backdrop.
“Looks like we’re here,” Will said, sounding more excited than he had any right to be.
A line of towering shifters guarded the entrance, each one as massive as a mountain, their eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of trouble. They were security, yes, but also the first line of defense in a place where violence was the only currency that mattered.
One of the shifters, a bear of a man with broad shoulders and arms the size of tree trunks, motioned for me to stop. “Weapons check.”
I raised my arms. I wasn’t stupid enough to try sneaking in anything, especially not here. His rough hands moved over my body, lingering in places that had nothing to do with checking for weapons. He palmed my breasts, then slid his hands down to my crotch and rubbed. My skin crawled at the touch, but I clenched my teeth, trying to remain still even though everymuscle in my body was screaming for me to kick the shifter in the balls.
“Hey!” Will snapped, stepping forward, his face flushed with anger. “Get your fucking hands off her!”
The shifter’s hand shot out faster than I could blink. He grabbed Will by the throat and lifted him off the ground like he weighed nothing. “You got a problem, boy? Because I can solve it real quick.”
“Let him go,” I hissed, panic rising in my chest. “He’s with me, okay? Just let him go, and we’ll be on our way.”
The shifter stared at me, his eyes filled with sadistic delight. After a tense beat, he dropped Will like he was a piece of garbage. Will stumbled back, rubbing his neck and shooting the shifter a death glare. Thankfully, he was too smart to voice whatever he was thinking.
“Move along,” the shifter grunted, flicking his hand at the entrance. I grabbed Will’s arm and pulled him forward before he could do something stupid. Again.
Inside the massive hall, the atmosphere was even darker, the tension heavier. Rows of velvet seats faced a large stage in the center. There were people everywhere—vampires, fae, demons, shifters—all decked out in their finery, their eyes gleaming with hunger for whatever blood-soaked entertainment awaited us.
An usher in a crisp black suit guided us to a roped-off section near the left side of the stage. I took in the nervous faces of the other contestants as we settled into our seats. They looked like they were about to be fed to the wolves. In a way, they were.
