Dimitri returned alone; my target nowhere in sight.
He didn’t speak until he was in my space, close enough that no supernatural hearing could overhear. “He was on to you.”
“He was not,” I argued. “Ihadhim.”
He angled his body to crowd me. “You almost had the ring,” he corrected. “Almostgets you killed.”
“Do you want to argue aboutalmost?” I asked sweetly, “or do you want to help me finish my objective?”
Something ticked in his jaw. “Help you finish.Safely. There’s a balcony upstairs. Fewer eyes.”
“Then, take me to the balcony so we can come up with a better plan,” I said, setting my hand on his arm, and let him lead me up the stairs.
Before I made it to the second stair, the air hissed. Something fast cut through the air toward Dimitri, and I shoved him. Caught by surprise, he fell down the two stairs and hit the marble just as the dart meant for him buried in my shoulder.
I bit down on a scream, but the burn was instant.
Dimitri used his vampire speed to catch me before I fell, his hands wrapping around me to keep me up. His eyes flashed with panic as he yanked the dart out and threw it on the ground. “Why did you?—?”
“You’re my squadmate,” I chuckled. “I’m fine. This poison is something I’ve had before.”
Koa was on my other side in an instant. His blue flaming hands grabbed my shoulder, his magic penetrating the wound and making the pain turn to pleasure. “You okay?”
“Mmhm—sorry.” A moan caught in my throat. “Your magic makes me hot.”
“Obviously,” Dimitri muttered, his breath hitting my face.
“Yeah,” Koa mumbled, smiling softly. “Still not sure why, but I got you. Let me be useful to you, okay?”
The glow deepened as I was completely healed.
“On your three,” Dimitri snapped, helping me steady myself on the step. “I’ll take out the shooter.”
“Later.” I straightened as Koa moved his hand. “The ring.”
I led us back down the stairs and into the ballroom before freezing.
The snobby supernaturals in their formal wear were alldead.
“This isn’t a charity event,” Raze said evenly, striding up with my target’s throat in his hand in the middle of all the dead bodies. “It’s a drug ring. Seriously. These fuckers are trading fae drugs.”
I gasped, “Wait!”
My diplomat’s throat crushed as Raze squeezed, and Vlaken’s head rolled.
“Are you fucking kidding me, Raze?”
Raze glanced over. “What?”
“I was trying to keep that one alive!” I grabbed Vlaken’s hand and ripped the ring off his finger.
Raze went still, eyes wide behind his mask. “I am so sorry.”
“You aresolucky this is a simulation.” I huffed, gripping the ring in my palm.
He nodded rapidly, backing away and pushing Zuko in front of him. “Understood. My bad.”
Slater was at my side, dragging a half-dead warlock who looked like he’d been creatively bullied by two different people. “You can have mine, venom baby.”
