Breed, if known: Mage
Contracted term: 35 years
Other details: N/A
Availability: Available
Guildmaster: Miviana Arthurian
Rae bit her lip. “He’s not on assignment, so why the fuck was he shooting at you?”
Titus’s phone let out a single, long beep. “Shit, we’ve got to go.”
“Wait.” Rae quickly scrolled down. “What were you looking for?”
“We have thirty seconds before your Guildmaster’s lock’s released. You want to risk it?”
“What were you looking for?” Rae asked again.
Titus unplugged his phone, shoving it in his pocket. “I think you’re being targeted, not me.”
“There’s no reason for me to be targeted.” Doubt twisted her stomach. “If it was under the Syndicate, the details would’ve been there.”
“Exactly, if it was under the Syndicate. Doesn’t mean Gerald didn’t take a private hit.” Titus clicked a few buttons on the keyboard, the screen turning black as Rae made sure everything was exactly like it had been. She didn’t want to hang around long enough to be deal with Vivian, running back to her room to grab her gun, and her skull dagger which had fallen to the floor. “I promise not to shoot you,” she said to Titus, slipping them both beneath her skirt.
“Yeah, like I trust your promises,” he replied. “Let’s get out –”
“There you are Cupcake,” Nathan smiled, standing just outside her room. His nostrils flared, sickly green eyes landing on Titus. “Who are you?”
“He’s no one,” Rae said, pushing against Titus’s side. “Come on, we have somewhere to be.”
Nathan frowned, arm shooting out to block them. “I know you.” He cocked his head, studying Titus like a bug. “You’re supposed to be dead.”
Rae shot a look over her shoulder, knowing they didn’t have long. They needed to get out of the building before Vivian figured out something was wrong. “Nathan, fuck off.”
“Stupid bitch, do you not think you wouldn’t be caught fucking your target like some common whore?”
Nathan stood there, glowering at her and then he was crushed against the wall, Titus’s forearm pressed against his throat.
“I’m sorry,” Titus said. “I didn’t hear you. Want to repeat that?”
Nathan struggled in the hold, nails clawing down Titus’s arm, mouth open in a gasp. Titus released him as quickly as he’d struck, stepping back utterly calm while Nathan choked in a staggered breath.
“It’s… it’s not long before Rae’s assignment’s up,” Nathan managed to push out between puffs. “And when it does, I’ll take over.” He turned his attention to Rae. “You’re going to regret choosing him, I’ll make sure of it.”
Chapter17
Rae
Rae frowned at the new phone she’d made Titus buy, the unopened box sitting on the pristine wooden table. Playing with her pendant between her fingertips, she stared at the sim glinting beside it, wondering what would happen if she simply dunked it in her coffee, and walked away from everything.
Her real name was technically dead, and the one on all her fake IDs was easy enough to erase, Raegan Fox disappearing into the night. She had some Ravyns saved, definitely enough to get a new ID with another alias, a new life. She’d have to find a witch willing to negate the pain from the mark on her sternum, the stylised moon both a visual, and physical reminder that she was Crimson Hollow’s property.
She could catch a ride to the white cliffed docks, bargain her way onto one of the ferries across to mainland Europe and go somewhere warmer, where the weather wasn’t mostly drizzle with random bursts of sunshine.
Except she couldn’t run. Because then she’d sign her brother’s death warrant, and that was something she could never do. No, she’d have to convince him to run with her.
Rae nibbled her lip, stomach in knots as she turned to watch Titus pace outside the window, his strides long and powerful as he talked on the phone. His face gave nothing of the conversation away, but she was sure he was angry, her ability to read his empty expressions improving with every passing hour they spent attached to the hip.
