“Fine.” A bad-tempered grumble.
He studied his phone, not looking up until he was sure she’d settled herself in bed, curling on her side facing away. He couldn’t help but turn briefly, watching how her shoulders tightened.
“Stop being a creep,” she muttered quietly. “Or I’ll lock you in the backroom.”
“Get some sleep,” he shot back, shaking his head. “You’ll be useless tired.”
Rae shot him the middle finger.
He quickly returned his attention to his phone, logging into his account and deleting everything that held a hint of his true identify. He’d bought his apartment along with Axel in cash, neither of their names on the paperwork, and instead signed by a fake company used as a front for Storm Industries. Smoke and mirrors, the sole purpose of which was to guard their identity. Because to do what they did, to protect the weak, and destroy those that would otherwise cause others harm, they couldn’t exist.
They weren’t like the Lords who ran the Undercity, corrupt bastards who would sell their first born if it got them ahead. But if the Guardians wanted something, they took it, whether it was through blackmail, or force, they didn’t care. Morals weren’t black and white, there were no strict rules that were right, or wrong. It was all shades of grey, and that was where the Guardians thrived, in the quiet shadows, acting on behalf of those too weak to defend themselves.
He wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of citizens that called London their home lived under the illusion that the city was run by those that cared, that the politicians that smiled and waved to the crowds had their best interests at heart. It was all bullshit, those in high positions ruled either by manipulation, or were bought by those more powerful. The governing bodies were nothing but puppets to the real people who controlled the city. Even the Council of Six didn’t care, letting the Lords bring their drugs, abuse and money to the streets they were supposed to protect. Because that money lined the politicians pockets. Likely lined the Council’s too.
Titus easily slipped into the guild’s camera feed, the security sloppy and only taking him seconds to break in. Flicking through the images, he counted eighteen cameras in total, all hidden cleverly in crevices across the area. The majority most likely undiscovered by those that lived there.
The entire building was connected to the same encrypted server, including the commands for the single lift, as well as electrical locks throughout. Titus frowned, climbing to his feet. The lock on Rae’s door was shit, nothing a hard kick couldn’t break. But according to his phone, every door in the Guild was remotely controlled. Frustration bit through his interest, the lack of his computer hindering his ability to override the security system. He’ll still be able to do it wirelessly through his phone, but it would likely take hours.
He wasn’t sure he had that much time, every moment ticking down until his hand was forced, and he’d have to kill her before she killed him. He lifted his head at the thought, taking in Rae who’d rolled onto her back, red hair fanned out like a halo around her. It hadn’t taken her long for her breathing to have slowed, steady in sleep.
Seemed she could fall asleep with him there, after all. She was either too trusting, too stupid, or more exhausted by the day’s activities than she let on. Titus seemed to forget she was human, someone far weaker than even one of the smallest prey shifters. Humans dominated the realm, at over sixty-five percent of the population, but their bodies were much more fragile. They lived to barely one-hundred, and had more fatal diseases than he cared to name. Yet she’d surprised him with how easily she’d handled the situation, not only with her reaction, but with how she’d sidestepped out of the vampire’s reach. A human, even one trained in combat, shouldn’t have as easily twisted out of the grasp.
Fatigue beat against him, the headache building behind his eyes with every passing moment. He knew he should rest himself against the wall, close his eyes long enough for his software to work, and hope the nightmares didn’t howl too loud. An hour, maybe two if the Fates let him. Just anything to help ease the continuous exhaustion. Except he couldn’t, his body too tight, thoughts too consuming.
A whimper, so quiet he wasn’t sure whether it was in his head or not. Rae’s face creased in sleep, a single tear glistening against her cheek.
What possible nightmares haunted her?he thought, reaching down to gently swipe his thumb along her skin. She pressed into his touch, seemingly calmed by his presence.
What the fuck’s wrong with me?
Titus dragged his fingers through his hair, the strands loose around his shoulders. He was there for a single purpose. Find out who’d put a hit out on him, and then kill them.
Nothing else.
Her lips parted, letting out another whimper.
Titus slipped onto the bed, lying on top of the duvet to stoke his fingers back over Rae’s cheeks. She sighed in contentment, snuggling closer until she curved her entire body along his side.
Fuck.
He was there for a single purpose, but right then he didn’t seem to care.
Chapter15
Rae
Her side was pressed to something solid, hard and deliciously warm. Rae tensed for the barest second before she forced herself to relax, to keep her breathing steady and even. Opening her eyes to slits she found herself wrapped against the last man she expected to be in her bed, her leg hooked over Titus’s hip, her hand speared beneath his t-shirt to rest against the centre of his chest. He lay flat on his back, teetering on the edge of the bed as if trying, and failing to escape. Yet his arm lay beneath her head, his hand precariously close to resting on her bare butt.
Humiliation burned hot beneath her skin, disappearing as quickly as it came. He climbed intoherbed. Uninvited. She would not be embarrassed about her body subconsciously seeking out heat.Arsehole.
The need to shove him was an almost violent compulsion, except when she studied the sharp features of his face, she hesitated. His hair brushed his darker brows, free from the band that usually kept it away from his face. She pictured him clean shaven, but the stubble suited him, the hair even darker than his brows, defining the sharp line of his jaw and throat. That was where his tattoos started, skin decorated in such detailed lines she ached to stroke, to study every inch of art. Then there were the rings, one in his nostril and another through the centre of his bottom lip. She’d never cared for piercings, but on him they were perfect. She knew beneath his t-shirt he had one more, and she’d done everything not to stare at his nipple when he stood before her chest bare. To ignore the spike of desire at the idea he likely had more piercings she was yet to find, because of course he would just have to be the most striking man she’d ever met.
Rae frowned, not impressed with the line of thought. He always looked so bloody composed, in control, but now she could see that was a façade. The underlying tension that was always there was gone, smoothed out in sleep.
Moving slowly, she slipped her hand out from beneath his t-shirt, ignoring the sudden loss of heat as she moved it under the pillow. Her fingers wrapped around the cool metal of her skull dagger hidden there. If she killed him, her assignment would be over. Then she could go back to ticking off her kills one at a time until she was free, pretending the entire situation hadn’t happened.
The blade nicked his neck, slicing a line of red before a tight grip encircled her wrist, yanking it away. Rae grunted as she was forced on her back, Titus pinning her from above.
