Page 117

“Why didn’t you tell me Snowy was already here?”

“I, uh—” Luis stammered.

Covey shook his head and held his hand up. “You know what, never mind.” He checked his phone again before shoving it back into his pocket. “Go get the Vanquish and take him to the farm.”

“What—why?”

“I need to take care of our guests first. Then I have to entertain our new customers.”

Luis scoffed. “Ashley’s getting better by the day.”

Jun’s eyes widened at the name. Through the fog of pain, a thought crystallized: If Alex had found Ashley by now, they might still have a chance. If Jun could just survive long enough.

“Apparently so,” Covey muttered. He sighed. “So clean this up, and I’ll finish with him later.”

“Then, can I do the honors in the meantime?” Luis asked, rubbing his hands together. “I’ll get this bitch to squeal.”

“No,” Covey barked. “Don’t touch him until I get there. Got it?” The voice that came out of Covey now—cold, commanding, stripped of every ounce of charm—belonged to someone Jun had never met. He wondered if anyone ever had. “Gag him up. Put him in the trunk.”

Luis nodded like a chicken and crouched beside him. He grabbed a fistful of Jun’s hair, yanked his head up, and pulled the gag back between his lips.

Jun tried to hold his head up—a small, stupid act of defiance—but Luis shoved it back down. Luis cinched the gag so tight the fabric cutting deeper into the split at the corner of his mouth. Luis looked back at his work and smirked. He jogged away until the sound of his footsteps disappeared.

Covey’s shiny shoes reappeared in Jun’s vision. A strand of his slicked-back hair dangled across his shadowed forehead.

“You know,” Covey said, crouching so his face hung above Jun’s, “I thought it was strange that Snowy wanted to throw me an apology party.” His smile was slow, deliberate. “Was it your idea? Or maybe that short pink-haired ‘cop’ you’ve been running with?”

Sweat ran into Jun’s eyes. He couldn’t blink it away. Couldn’t reach for his phone. Couldn’t do anything except lay here while his friends walked into a trap that Covey had already seen coming.

Covey shook his head with a soft laugh. “Or maybe you thought the party would help me? That it was some kind of gesture?” His voice turned saccharine. “You’re adorable, Connor. Really. Thank you for thinking of me.”

Covey’s hands moved towards Jun’s stomach. Jun’s muscles clenched in anticipation of a blow—but instead came a tug at his waist, then a ripping sound. He opened his eyes to Covey holding a torn strip of black fabric from the hem of Jun’s shirt. Before Jun could react, Covey pressed the cloth over his eyes. Darkness. Total. He tried to protest, but the gag swallowed every sound.

Covey’s breath was warm against his ear. “Good night, little dove. I’ll deal with you later.”

Footsteps faded. And Jun was alone.

26

Ashley

Alex followed the girl through the swaying bodies in the dark foyer, past the kitchen, and into a glass corridor he’d missed on his first pass through the house.

When they were away from the main crowd, Alex texted the group.

Augs: @Hal get to the other side of the mansion

Hal: where?

Augs: it’s like near the kitchen or some shit

Augs: another glass hallway

Hal: k i just caught up with the girls

“Hey.”

Alex looked up and shoved the phone in his pocket. In the narrow corridor, they stopped at the threshold of what looked like a laundry room. The guard from earlier glowered down at him, thick arms crossed, exposing his intricate tattoos of elaborate eagle wings. If it wasn’t for his silver tooth already, Alex recognized Eddie’s tattoo art style, and this Hatchling was not ashamed of hiding it.