“You’re going to want to make this quick, there’s someone trying to kick me out.”
“That’s probably Killian.” Which meant his brother Bastion would be around too. She’d listed her colleagues into three groups, the first being Winter, Atlas and Galen who she was sure would be on her side. Probably. Then she had Nix, who she’d put in the ‘stay the fuck away from’ category, because he had a stick up his arse and always stuck with the rules. Then there were Killian and Bastion, who were highly unpredictable. She’d put them in the maybe pile.
“Remember you just need to get to her –”
“Office,” she said as the lift dinged just past the sixth floor. “Which is where I’ll set off the bomb, and bring down the ward so you and your weird friend can come save the day. Yes, I remember. Want to know why?”
She waited for his growl, was satisfied when she heard the familiar rumble.
“It’s because I created this plan.”
“You’re such a Rae of fucking sunshine.”
“Is this you two flirting?”Lucifer muttered into her ear.“Because if so, I think you need therapy.”
Titus’s growl deepened.“What did I say about staying radio silent?”
“This is why I work alone,” Rae said. “I’m about to reach the ninth floor.”
“I see you. The hall directly after is empty, and I only count four people including Vivian on the floor. The office is the only place without a camera.”
The doors opened, and Rae drew her gun, clutching it with both hands. She wouldn’t shoot, knowing that doing so would cause severe pain through her brain from the ward protecting the building, but it would at least make someone hesitate.
That hesitation was what she needed.
“Talk to me, where are they?” she asked, scanning the kitchen to find no one there. The enchantments had been doubled since she was last home, painted rather than carved. They pulsed, sensing the violence that threatened.
“You’re clear.”
Picking one of the weird balls from the bum bag, she stepped back, aiming it at the wall. The ball exploded on impact, loud enough she flinched. If they didn’t know she was there, they did now.
The contents splattered across the entire wall, reaching as far as her feet.
“Is that… glitter?”
“Luce, did you seriously add glitter to the blood?”Titus asked, his voice softer, as if he wasn’t speaking directly into the microphone.“Kace is honestly going to kill you if you keep touching his stuff.”
The scent of copper was strong, the blood diluted and mixed with salt as it dripped down the walls, obscuring the runes. They pulsated faster, the engravings darkening to black. “How do I know if it works?”
“You won’t really,”Lucifer answered.“Not until you hit someone.”
“I fucking hate magic,” she muttered, moving quickly towards the office. “These runes are everywhere.” Vivian had added them to the hall, the bedroom doors, and even to the ceiling.
“Smear the blood as much as you can, we only need a small window to break through the block.”
Rae grabbed another ball, bouncing it off Winter’s bedroom door, painting everything a startling red. She wouldn’t be able to reach the ceiling, but she pressed her hand to the wall, spreading the sticky, grainy mixture.
“Rae, we’re getting inter –”
The back of her neck tingled.
Rae spun, finding Nix leaning against a door, watching her with his crystal blue eyes. He didn’t say anything when she met his gaze, his body relaxed, head cocked.
“I have to do this,” she said, her voice soft. She hadn’t heard him come up.
“I agreed to give you a head start,” he said with his rich, deep voice.
“My assignment never timed out. It was removed from the database, voided.”
