Queen of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #4) - Caroline Peckham Page 0,148

of the night," Saint said in a low voice and we all growled the response instead of yelling it for once.

"Here me roar."

We broke apart and started moving through the trees at a fast pace, the lights of the huge manor house up ahead piercing the darkness before long.

When we reached the edge of the trees, we took cover and looked out over the manicured lawn at the back of the imposing gothic building. There was no one in sight on this side of the property, but a car drove up the gravel driveway to our left as we stayed out of sight and we waited as it pulled up before the building to let out the member who had just arrived.

"Ready?" Saint breathed and I nodded along with the others as we darted out of the trees and started running across the lawn.

It was so dark that we were little more than shadows in the night and thankfully, every window at Royaume D’élite was carefully shuttered - no doubt to make sure no photographs could be taken from outside to document the fucked up things that went on within that place. But it served us too, because it meant that no one was looking out either.

Kyan took the lead as we made it to the wall of the imposing building, creeping along the side of it until he reached a narrow sash window where he quickly took a thin wire from his pocket and slid it beneath the gap at the bottom of the pane.

My heart pounded as he cursed beneath his breath a couple of times before he managed to hook the catch and force it open. He slid the window up as quietly as possible, but my teeth still ached at the sound it made and we all held our breath as he leaned forward to peer through a gap in the wooden shutters which blocked the way on.

"The Moguls’ Banquet is to the right and up the stairs," he murmured. "The whores and fighters are kept to the left of the building downstairs. Just make sure you keep the fuck away from that meeting. If they catch any of us here, they'll strap us to a table and carve us into pieces while the whole club watches and laughs. So no fuck ups."

"Noted," I replied, moving closer to him and drawing my gun as he prepared to open the shutter next. "I'm too pretty to get carved up."

"Just remember, anyone wearing a mask is an enemy," Saint hissed. "If they get in your way, kill first and ask questions later."

"Simple," Nash replied dryly as Kyan took his hunting knife from his belt and slipped the blade between the thin gap in the shutters.

He used it to flick the catch securing them and in the next breath, he'd hopped inside. I gazed in after him, making sure there was no one lurking in the shadows before holstering my gun again.

I paused to give Tatum a boost and she smiled as she let me. "Thank you, Prince Charming," she teased and I followed her inside with the gasoline the moment she was through the window.

I wasn’t sure Prince Charming was anywhere near as depraved as me, but I’d play the role if she enjoyed it in her fantasies.

Saint and Monroe were right behind us as we found ourselves in a narrow corridor. A prickle of adrenaline ran through me as Saint quickly closed the window and shutters behind us to cover our entrance.

I took the lead with Kyan as we crept through the huge building where far-off music was playing, nothing but a dull beat reaching us that seemed to make the walls vibrate with the power of it. There was a faint smell of cigars and sex hanging about the place and I wrinkled my nose, thinking of all these old men buying girls to use and discard just because they could. Sometimes I fucking hated people. They were the goddamn worst.

The floorboards creaked around a corner ahead of us and we all froze, my heart racing as the sound of footsteps thankfully moved away from us.

Kyan led us down a flight of stairs next, before pointing out the door to the room where they stored the capes and masks of the members who couldn't attend the party. Relief spilled through me at the sight of it and I took the lead as we crossed a wide hallway with deep red carpet. Once we were wearing their