Sin & Spirit (Demigod of San Francisco #4)(6)

I waited for her to continue as we turned a corner into a dimly lit hallway in the middle of the building. The offices here were for low-level support staff who’d barely graduated from magical training and had just enough clout for their own office.

I grinned to myself as we neared my little mole hole. Kieran had said that if I took a “proper job” in the government, I’d get a “proper” office, which would probably be large and bright and luxurious with a great view—Kieran liked to pamper me in any way he could. But I didn’t want to take my place beside him in the government. At least, I didn’t think I did. Right now I was mostly concerned with helping people by setting up various charities. As a former poor person, I figured that was a good way to give back—by using someone else’s money. Mama didn’t raise no fool. This tiny hideout was hidden away from prying eyes, and I liked it just fine. The only thing I’d really found to do so far was charity work.

Bria didn’t finish her thought, if there was an end to it. She still held out the pocket watch as if eager to be rid of it.

I fit the key into the lock of a plain white door with two tarnished silver number threes nailed to the middle. Joy, who was comically ill-suited for her name, trudged past me with half-shut eyes and a protruding lower lip, her empty coffee mug in hand. I didn’t know what she did here, but I did know she hated it.

“Good morning,” I said as I turned the key.

“Hmph,” Joy replied, not sparing me a glance.

The tumbler didn’t click over.

I hesitated. “It’s unlocked.”

Bria pushed in closer. “Are you sure you locked it when you left last time?”

“Yes. I always lock it. I don’t want anyone snooping.”

Bria bent and swiped a small knife out of an ankle holster. “Anyone who snoops for a profession won’t be bothered by that lock. Someone probably picked it. The question is, are they still in there?” She hefted her knife. If they were, they’d clearly get a slice of steel for their efforts.

“Don’t cut any gossip columnists. I have it bad enough where they are concerned.” I let spirit infiltrate the room beyond the closed door, expecting to feel my protective magic on the other side.

My blood turned to ice.

My repellent magic wasn’t there. Someone had ripped it away.

I froze, relaying what I sensed.

“Is the room empty?” she asked in a whisper. She didn’t shove in front of me and take control, an extremely telling non-action. Generally she liked danger. But if the intruder was a Demigod, we were in over our heads. She wasn’t the only one hesitating.

“Of physical people,” I said, “but I couldn’t feel the soul of that Demigod last night, so I’m not sure. Should we get Kieran? I can’t take on anything above a level five on my own.”

She blew out a breath. “There’s a reason the Demigod snuck into Kieran’s territory in the middle of the night. And a reason he took off after Kieran got up. He wanted to check you out, risk-free. Demigods aren’t stupid. They like to get an idea of the risk before they engage. If it’s the same one as last night, he won’t want to hang around in the government building. Kieran might only have a small team blood-tied with him, but he’s got a loyal army on premises. No Demigod would want to mess with that. I doubt anyone is in there. And if they are, they’ll bugger off as soon as you show your face. You know, given you can see them and raise the alarm.”

“You sure?”

“Nope. But I surely hope so.”

I ran my lip through my teeth, deciding. I really didn’t want to bother Kieran. He had a mountain of work at all times, dozens of people vying for his attention, and I was already seen as his mostly ridiculous luggage. Or so the tabloids said. I didn’t want to add to that and paint myself as hysterical for no reason.

And if there was a reason? Why, then I could just run and raise the alarm, like Bria had said.

Steeling my courage, I turned the handle, pushed the door open, and stepped back as though a viper waited just inside.

Darkness layered with spirit greeted me, illuminating the contents of the windowless room. I could see my desk hugging the right wall, as if afraid of my chair pushed up against it. A desk light was perched on the side, right below a hanging light that, oddly enough, had been placed in the corner. Filing cabinets leaned forward on the slightly uneven ground, strange in an office, away from the far wall, which I knew held a picture of a white cat, sitting on the sand in front of an azure ocean-scape, a weird picture left over from the last resident. A plant loomed in the corner, thankfully fake, or it would be dead. No one waited in the small space, living or dead.

“Clear,” I said into the slightly musty funk. Not for the first time, it struck me that the last resident had probably stowed a cat or two in here.

Bria pushed in beside me, reaching for the light switch and flicking it on. The mustard-yellow walls seemed to match the smell. The room was as empty as the spirit had shown.

“Which Demigod do you think it was?” I asked. “Kieran didn’t answer when I asked last night. Do you think it’s my father? Do you think he’s figured out I’m his?”

“I don’t even think Henry knows,” Bria answered.

Henry was the member of the Six I knew least. He was always out in the field, as the guys called it. As a Reflector, he could push people’s magic back onto them, which wasn’t very helpful with many types of magic, like if someone was a shifter. Stronger magics, like mine, could work around it.