Chapter 20 · Invitation to a Blood Feast

"Don't touch the glass. Unless you want to lose a finger," Evelyn whispered, her voice like a razor blade against Kane's ear.

Kane didn't pull away. He leaned closer, the heat from her shoulder pressing into his chest through the thin fabric of his suit. The air in the foyer of the Obsidian Spire smelled like ozone and old money—the kind of smell that usually meant someone was about to get murdered for a percentage of a trust fund.

"I've lost more than a finger today," Kane muttered, his eyes scanning the crowd. "Where is he?"

"Patience, Kane. This isn't a street brawl. It's a gala," she said, though her hand was trembling slightly where it gripped his arm. "If you start swinging now, the security drones will turn you into a colander before you reach the stairs."

Kane shrugged, a slow, dangerous movement that made the bond in his chest thrum. The Forbidden Card was humming, a low-frequency vibration that synced with Evelyn's heartbeat. It was a constant reminder: they were tied together, soul and sin, and if one of them fell, the other was going down too.

"I don't care about the drones," Kane said.