Page 21 of Lethal King

“True,” I admit. “But just imagine Rian Kilpatrick getting married before he can come after me. Unthinkable.”

“You’re obsessed.”

“And you should be too. Remember what he did to our brother.”

“Gabriel is—”

Before Tytus can finish, he’s cut off by a flurry of gunshots. The crackle cuts through the cacophony outside. A wave of palpable panic follows closely behind.

“The idiots are shooting at a ghost,” I can’t help but laugh.

“I guess you were right. That little hologram is believable.”

“And you doubted my skill.”

Reaching around into my backpack, I pull out a pair of sunglasses. The bedroom I’ve been hiding out in is quickly filling with smoke. Shit is getting dark. But I don’t have to be blind.

“I guess I might have downplayed yours a little bit, too,” I return. “The smoke is working like a charm. Alright, you earned it. Come in from that cold van and have your fun. But be quick about it. The old wolf needs to be distracted.”

“As if I need your permission to have fun.”

All I can do is roll my eyes before our communication goes dead. Pressing a finger against the temple of my sunglasses, I initiate the thermal imaging feature.

Just like that, I can see through the hazy smoke. My fingers tighten around the warm handle of my switchblade.

It’s showtime.

With one last short breath, I slip out into the hallway and make my way toward the throne room downstairs.

As if on cue, a raucous chorus of footsteps starts to pound up the stairwell ahead. The red and yellow figures turn towards me just as I’m able to stick my back against the nearest wall.

The smoke works like a charm. I might as well be invisible, and I sit tight as they pass—until an uncontrollable urge takes hold of me.

If I wanted to, I’m sure I could blame it on my hormones, but I’m hardly thinking that far ahead when I dig my nails into the last red blob’s thick wrist and yank him back from the safety of his group.

The fucker must be a foot taller than me, but it hardly matters. I’ve tackled worse. All it takes is a foot to the back of the knee and he’s on the ground. He doesn’t even get a chance to scream. I shove the tip of my switchblade through his beard, directly into his throat. Nothing but blood rushes from his parted lips.

Still, the thud of his big body hitting the ground is enough to catch the attention of his friends.

“What the hell was that?”

“Where’s McGrath?”

“Over here!” I shout, deepening my voice as much as I can.

“Fuck. It’s her!”

I can’t help but laugh as they fumble with their guns and start blindly firing in my direction. But they only hit their friend’s corpse. I’m already long gone, flying down the smoky steps of this mansion’s main spiral staircase.

“She’s getting away!” I hear one of them shout from back around the corner.

That’s right, chase me, you idiots. See how that turns out for you.

“I’m in.”

The moment I hit the bottom of the steps, Tytus’ voice appears in my ear.

“That was quick.”