Page 101 of Semblance

“This isn’t on you,” he replied. “Calisto should have never gotten out of that car, though she’s not entirely to blame either. I was the one who sent her to pick you up.”

“The real bastard in all of this is Lucien,” Lincoln added, “That tea drinking, scone eating son-of-a-bitch.”

“Have your guys found anything?” Shadow asked.

Lincoln shook his head. “Lucien’s condo has been vacated,” he said, “And when I say vacated, I mean everything inside is gone. Not even a single speck of dust.”

“He’s had this all planned from the beginning,” Shadow said, rising from his seat. “I’ve always taken him too lightly.”

“I had him figured for a fool as well,” Lincoln said. “His yapping alone made him look as intimidating as a cocker spaniel.”

Shadow turned to me. “Aria, I want you to stay here for a while,” he said. “Lincoln and I are heading over to the condo Calisto owns on the waterfront. Maybe there’s something there that can help us.”

“I want to come with you guys,” I said.

Shadow shook his head. “You’ve been targeted,” he said. “Even allowing you to go to your classes was a bad decision on my part.”

“I feel safer with you Shadow,” I said. “I’m also not completely useless. I can help.”

The two looked at me, dead silent.

“Well?” I asked.

“She is a Crow killer,” Lincoln pointed out. “You have to give her credit for accomplishing that much, while others would have just soiled themselves before ending up six feet under.”

Shadow seemed in awe of me.

“You’re one of the most stubborn girls I’ve ever met,” he finally said.

“Would you rather me be the weak, helpless, and submissive girl?” I asked.

He shook his head, and planted a gentle kiss on my forehead.

“Not a chance.”

#

Chapter Twenty-Seven

We pulled into the underground parking garage of Calisto’s condo in Shadow’s Aston Martin. There were five intimidating looking men standing by the entrance of the building, equipped with black body armor and heavy weapons. They reminded me of secret service agents, minus the black aviators and earpieces.

Before leaving his car, Shadow reached over me and opened up the glove box, removing a shiny, silver gun. He checked the clip and pushed it into the base of the gun, arming it for use.

“You think you’ll need that?” I asked.

Shadow made no reply.

The intimidating guards acknowledged us as we approached them. “We secured the entire building,” one of them said; a large brute with a shiny bald head.

“You guys did a search through Calisto’s condo?” Shadow asked.

The man nodded. “Only a quick search to ensure that it was safe and secure. Everything else remains untouched, as you requested. Just a warning, my guys saw some pretty strange stuff inside.”

“Strange?”

“Best you see for yourself.”

Shadow nodded. “If you see anything out of the ordinary, run the Detroit police protocol on it.”

---