The metallic screech of the descending blast doors was still ringing in Avery’s ears as she pressed her back against the weeping concrete wall of the secondary service corridor. Red emergency light bathed the narrow space in rhythmic, bloody pulses, making the sweat on Jake’s brow look like dark amber beads. Below them, through the heavy iron floor grating, the shouting of Magnus’s elite enforcers grew louder, their heavy tactical boots chewing up the distance with terrifying speed.
"They're sweeping the lower ventilation line first," Jake hissed, his voice dropping into that raw, gravelly register that always sent a shudder through her system. He was vibrating with a dangerous mix of adrenaline and lethal frustration. His uniform jacket was torn at the shoulder from their frantic dive un
