Page 122 of The Alpha's Bullied Rejected Mate

Marcus spun into motion instantly, already pulling out the slim device from his pocket—a modified communicator the size of a pager.

“Adrian. Are you on?”

The signals crackled, and then a voice snapped into the line. “Go ahead.”

“Target identified. The cleaner from the fifth floor just now. Get a fix on the cameras.”

“On it now.” Athena could hear fingers flying over keys in the background.

The duo stormed down the hallway. Marcus took the lead as they veered toward the stairwell.

They heard the faint metal clang below, and Athena whipped her head over the railing, catching a blur of movement beneath them.

“There!” she shouted.

Without hesitation, she raised her palm and fired a pulse of magic down the stairwell. The streak of violet light slammed into the wall just inches from the demon’s path—close, but not close enough. He vanished from her sight.

Dammit.

The man named Adrian boomed through the communicator. “He’s on the third floor.”

“Marcus, I’m losing signals.”

“What?” Marcus said, “I can still hear you.”

“No. From the chambers. Fuck!” Adrian cussed. “The cameras are being shut down, what the hell?”

“Shit.” Marcus sweated beside her as he took longer strides down the stairs, and she kept up.

“It…so…having…the…hunters…at,”Adrian’s voice cracked.

“I’m losing you!” Marcus barked into the device just as they reached the third floor, scanning through the corridors for their target.

They stormed through a heavy steel door into a chamber and blasted it open.

The cleaner stood at the far end of the large room, and Athena raised her hand instantly, magic pulsing around her fingers.

“You’re a fake,” the cleaner snarled at her.

“Still... you might be useful. Join me.”

“So you can harness my magic and use it for whatever sick rituals you plan?” she spat, letting down the glamor from her features.

“No, thank you,” she asserted.

“Well then,” he shrugged. “Get her!” he screamed, and for a moment, Athena wondered who he was talking to.

Suddenly, the side doors flew open, and masculine figures marched in, positioning themselves in front of him. From their uniform, Athena could see that they were hunters, but their eyes were dark and hollow, devoid of any emotions or reason. They were under the dark influence.

Marcus unsheathed his twin daggers next to her. The possessed hunters moved to attack, and the room erupted into battle.

Marcus spun his dagger low as one of the hunters lunged at him. He twisted under the arc of the blade and slashed upward, knocking the attacker back.

Athena raised her hands and conjured a shield spell, deflecting a blow from another hunter. She called a surge of violet wind, throwing a possessed guard against the wall with enough force to crack stone.

Marcus spun to Athena. “Go for the demon!”

Athena nodded and surged forward, dodging a blade and hurling a glowing bolt straight across the cleaner. He tried to dodge but missed slightly as the blast grazed his shoulders slightly yet deep enough to cause the skin on that area to smoke.He flew back.