Human design always looked as if it were afraid of character. Every facility I’d seen looked the same.
My breath fogged as I exhaled.
Dimitri’s disguise had changed little about him, just his hair and eye color. His black hair caught the edge of the floodlights; the white patch in front had been disguised away.
I hated that.
His red eyes were now a deep brown, and his fangs weren’t visible either.
“Aw, I miss the white patch.” I reached up and touched the spot it should’ve been.
He caught my wrist, pressing a kiss to the inner part of it. “I miss your green hair, but blonde looks pretty, too. Your golden eyes are a deep brown now, though. I miss your golden ones.”
“We have the same thoughts then, overachiever.” I pouted.
“It’s only temporary, lethal darling.” He leaned in and kissed my lips softly before pulling away.
In my ear, Slater’s voice came through. “I’m in their system. You’re cleared at the north staff entrance. Your badge IDs are set in the system, so you’ll have zero trouble.”
Katie added, “Two guards are at the entrance. Their biometric scanners are active, but the rings Sylver gave you should help. Slater is monitoring their side just in case.”
Eleanor’s voice came next. “Human Council rep has been notified that there’s a ‘routine compliance inspection’ happening at this site. If anyone asks, you’re contractors. Don’t kill anyone on camera.”
I snorted quietly. “Jarvins said I could.”
“I’ll loop the feeds, venom baby,” Slater said. “Vent your anger.”
I grinned.
Dimitri’s hand brushed mine, then interlaced our fingers under the cover of our coats. “Stay focused,” he murmured. “Save your bloodlust for later.”
“Bloodlust, hmm?” I whispered teasingly. “How are you doing with that?”
His mouth curved. “You’ll see when I have you alone.”
Heat seared down my spine. “Can’t wait.”
“Fates,” Slater muttered on the comms. “Stop flirting. You’re going to make me jealous because I’m not even there.”
“You’re always jealous,” Zuko purred through the channel, amused.
Slater scoffed. “So are you.”
“So am I,” Koa chimed in.
“Move,” Ivy cut in from outside the perimeter. “The guards are pacing, and we only have an hour to carry this mission out.”
Solon’s voice followed. “We’re in position. If you get made, we’re breaching and extracting the supernaturals by force.”
“Understood.”
Dimitri and I crossed the snow-covered field with confident steps, boots crunching the snow. Floodlights washed over us, and cameras tracked our movements. A guard in the watchtower glanced down but looked away like we weren’t interesting enough to watch.
Sylver’s dampener ring hummed faintly against my finger, and I knew it was doing what it was supposed to do.
At the staff entrance, two human guards stood with rifles slung across their chests. Their breath steamed in the cold, but one of them lifted a hand.
“ID,” he barked.
