Chapter 34 · Blood-Slicked Ballroom

"Smile, Vesper. You look like you're heading to a funeral, not a gala," Kael whispered, his voice a low vibration against her ear.

He didn't just stand near her; he owned the space around her. His hand was clamped firmly on the small of her back, fingers digging into the silk of her gown, steering her through the sea of shimmering gowns and tailored tuxedos. The ballroom of the Aurelian Spire was a gold-plated cage, smelling of expensive lilies and old money.

"Maybe I am," Vesper shot back, her voice tight. "My funeral. Or yours. Depending on how fast I can get to the target without your ego getting in the way."

Kael chuckled, the sound dark and devoid of humor. He pulled her closer, the heat of his chest pressing against her shoulder blades. "My ego is the only thing keeping you from being dragged out of here in handcuffs. Play the part. You're my guest, my pet, my little secret. Act like it."

"I'm nobody's pet," she hissed, though she didn't pull away. She couldn't. The genetic bond hummed between them, a restless frequency that made her skin itch and her heart race every time he touched her.