“Nothing.” His hand reached for the handle, but Rae grabbed him before he could make contact.
“What do you mean nothing?” she snapped, keeping her voice barely above a whisper. “As soon as we break the ward she’ll know.”
“I can’t do anything for the ward because we only have a short amount of time before she figures out how to override the door.” He reached past her again, but she stepped forward to block.
“No, we need to –”
Titus pushed her against the door, her back hitting it with a gentle thud. Before she could react, he pressed harder, pinning her to the wood. Except it was a fraction less than he really needed to keep her immobilised, and she hated how her pulse jumped at the rough touch.
“Looks like the ward’s activated,” he said with a controlled growl. “We don’t have the time. She’s going to know we’ve broken in with, or without the ward. We just need to be gone before she gets out.”
Rae caught the argument at the end of her tongue, swallowing it bitterly. He was right, she knew that. But she didn’t have to like it. “Just so you know, when we’re caught, I’m throwing you under the bus.”
Titus dipped his head, and her lips opened automatically, stomach tightening in anticipation. Only for him to reach down and turn the handle. The door swung open, eyes darkening in challenge.
Bastard.
He smirked, the curve of his lips lasting a single heartbeat.“I don’t expect anything else.”
The office was dark, the fake window the only source of light. It showed a different scene to the one she’d seen hours earlier. The grove was long gone, replaced with a vacant beach, the sea an angry storm with the waves crashing against white gold sand. The moon glowed in the distance, a strange blue glow surrounding the orb far larger than it would have in reality.
Titus moved straight to her desk, clicking a few buttons on her keyboard to wake up the computer. He said nothing as he pulled his phone out, placing it on the desk face up, random numbers flashing across the screen.
A few papers were piled neatly on a cabinet directly behind, but after Rae flipped through the first few, she realised there was nothing but expenses and random reports that had nothing to do with her assignment. She moved to the drawers, finding only pens and other stationary.
Fuck.
“There’s nothing here,” she said, turning to find Titus relaxed back in the chair, watching her search the room. “Are you going to help?”
“What do you think I’m doing?” The computer screen flashed, replicating the image on his phone. Clicking a few buttons, he brought up an assignment, his name on the top.
“It came directly from the Syndicate,” she said, reading over his shoulder. “There wasn’t even a bid from other guilds, Vivian wasgivenyour assignment.”
Titus clicked a few more buttons, Rae’s name appearing on the bottom as the contractor selected.
“Then who the fuck hired the other two guys?”
Titus Liu Wood
Assignment No – 638273
Aliases, if known: Unknown
Gender, if known: Male
Age, if known: Unknown
Undead age, if relevant: N/A
Known areas: London
Breed, if known:REDACTED
Friend and/or family, if known: Riley Storm’s the best-known associate, although do not engage. Ana Liu, maternal grandmother. Axel Wood, cousin. Oscar Wood, father and Mei Liu, mother. Exact addresses are not known.
Other details that may be important to the success of the hit: Caution must be taken, Titus is classed as very dangerous, and must be disposed of from a distance. Ideally with a gun, which must destroy his heart. Head must be removed to ensure full death. Payment will not be completed without proof.
Competing Guilds: N/A
