Page 105 of Semblance

I explored the security options for the guest bedroom on the control panel and found something fitting for the situation. With the click of a few buttons, heavy metal doors sealed the room from the rest of the condo.

The bastard trapped inside sprung at the door and frantically pounded on it. It wasn’t going to help him.

“Hey fucker, nobody—and I mean nobody—messes with my friends,” I said as I pushed another button that began rapidly sucking all the oxygen out of the room. He continued hammering at the door before giving up and running to the window, which was also sealed. It took about two minutes before he completely stopped moving.

With a simple press of the button, I, Aria Valencia—who cried every time I watched theLast Unicorn—had just killed someone.

I didn’t feel any remorse or guilt for what I did either. While watching him die, all I could think about was Abraham and his heart exploding in his chest. This son-of-a-bitch trying to kill us wasn’t going to get any sympathy from me.

“Attention all remaining assholes, and by remaining, I mean the last one of you,” I lied, watching as the two separated men stop dead in their tracks at my announcement. “I gave you the chance to walk away from this, but you didn’t. Now you’re dead.”

I watched as Lincoln slowly snuck up behind one assassin, pointed the gun to his head, and executed him. Meanwhile Shadow blasted the last of them into oblivion.

It was over.

I leaned back in the leather chair, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. My hands were now shaking and tears started rolling down my cheeks.

“Aria, it’s over,” Shadow called out from outside the panic room. “You can come out now.”

I did as he said and flung myself into his arms, burying my head deep into his chest.

You killed a man Aria,the tiny voice in my head whispered to me.You just killed someone.

The reality of my actions tore through me like a wrecking ball.

“Is everyone alright?” Lincoln asked as he entered into the room.

“Aria’s rattled,” Shadow said. “I’m fine.”

“Aria, you’re brilliant. You saved both our lives,” Lincoln said. “I know it’s traumatic for you at the moment, but remember, you did what was necessary.”

I lifted my head from Shadow’s chest and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

“I’ll never be a victim again,” I said, and I meant it. Ever since my encounter with the Black Crow, my life had turned a dark corner.

“For a bunch of hired killers, these guys were very amateur,” Shadow said, “Which is probably why we’re still breathing.”

“Agreed,” Lincoln said. “They were very bush league. Lucien always was a cheapskate. It wouldn’t surprise me if he used a Groupon deal to get these guys.”

Lincoln knelt down in front of one of the bodies. “Let’s see who they are.”

One-by-one they peeled off the masks of the assassins, scanning their faces.

“You see what I’m seeing?” Lincoln asked.

Shadow nodded as he examined the neck of one of the bodies. “They’re gangbangers,” he stated. “From the tattoos on their necks, they belonged to the Talons.”

“Why the hell would Lucien get a bunch of disorganized street thugs to come after us? It’s quite the downgrade from the Crow Brothers.”

Shadow shrugged. “Lucien’s an arrogant bastard. Maybe he thought sending eight morons were enough to take us down.”

“Any ID on them?” Lincoln asked.

“Strip them down and let’s find out.”

While Shadow and Lincoln searched the bodies like scavengers, I made my way towards the guest bedroom where the man I killed laid face down on the ground. One of his hands was outstretched, reaching for the door.

I knelt beside him and rolled his head to the side.

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