Page 15 of Sigils & Spells

But when I get to the warehouse exit, it’s locked, and scanning my employee badge doesn’t work to unlock it.

This is a new development. I’ve always been able to come and go as I please.

So I change course and head to Ivan’s office.

* * *

“What do you mean,I can’t leave?” I’m standing just inside Ivan’s door, staring at him incredulously.

“Exactly what I said. You signed a contract. You are not allowed to leave this building until the formula works.”

I want to slap the smile off the smug bastard’s face.

But I can do better. I can make him pay for what happened to Q. With a single touch, I can kill Ivan Cambridge. And as much as I know it’s wrong, I gather my magic inside me, preparing to send a bolt of power straight to his heart.

It’ll be a quick death, and mostly painless.

Unlike Q’s agonizing final moments.

“Uh, uh, uh,” Ivan says, wagging a finger at me as I take a step toward him. “Keep your distance, little witch.”

Two men sweep into the room behind me and grab me by the shoulders.

These are the two men who cleared away Q’s body, I realize. One of them cuffs my hands behind my back, and the other holds me by the upper arm. They start to hustle me out of the room, and I manage to swing my cuffed hands back enough to brush my fingertips against the second guy’s leg.

I set my magic free, and he crumples to the ground with a grunt.

The other one gasps in horror, then slams a fist up against the side of my head.

I reel from the blow, staggering sideways several steps.

Ivan’s voice rings out, his tone commanding. “Lock her up. We’ll see what a few days in the cage teaches her.”

The guard grabs me by the upper arm again and tugs me out into the hallway, careful not to let me touch him.

Not that I could have done anything to him—I need to be able to concentrate to use my magic.

But I can still run. And as soon as I see an opportunity, I pull away from him and dart down the hallway. I have no idea where I’m going, but I’m determined to get away from these monsters.

My escape attempt fails, of course. I’m handcuffed and locked in the warehouse, which would be bad enough. It only gets worse when the guard tackles me after only a few yards. My face hits the concrete floor and blood floods my mouth.

He flips me over and leans down to leer into my face, and I scream.

He’s no longer fully human.

His face has shifted and is now something monstrous, like a human mixed with some kind of animal. A hyena, maybe?

Whatever it is, it’s horrible.

And he loves my reaction. “Keep trying to run, little witch, and Ivan will let meplaywith you.” His words come out slightly garbled by his elongated canine teeth, but he makes his meaning clear by thrusting against me with his hips and running a single claw lightly down the side of my face. “Understand?”

I whimper and nod, turning my face as far away from his touch as possible.

He laughs and stands, picking me up and setting me on my feet as if I weigh nothing.

Then he punches me in the stomach. I bend over, gasping for air. “That’s for Jameson,” he says with a snarl before hitting me again. “And that’s for trying to run.”

Then he drags me down the hall as I try to catch my breath and keep from vomiting.

---