For now, I wanted to forget about every dark cloud that had been looming over my head for the past few years. For now, I just wanted to appreciate what I had at this very moment, which was Aria, wrapped in my arms.
“Okay,” Aria whispered as she nuzzled her head into my shoulder. “Maybe it’s not important anyways.”
I brushed her hair out of her face, and noticed that she was crying again.
“Did I do something wrong?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No, it’s nothing you did,” she replied. “I’m just stupid.” There was a moment of pause. “You’ll always love me, right?”
I nodded.
“Of course,” I replied as I closed my eyes, “Until the day I die.”
Epilogue Two
Calisto
She watched as they buried her friend into the ground. It was a shame really since Calisto only had a handful of people she called friends.
So this was what Shadow must have felt when he buried Abraham, Calisto thought.
She wanted to get closer, to pay her last respects to Elena Zhao, but that would have compromised her. As long as Shadow was still alive, she couldn’t afford to be seen in public. No doubt, he was searching for her at this very moment.
After Elena had gone missing, Calisto ordered a massive manhunt in order to find her. Five days later, her network had uncovered the skeletal remains of Elena, encased in concrete at a new condo development sight in Kwonloon. Five men had been tortured and killed to obtain this information, all of them working for the Triad.
They all said the same thing: Shadow had murdered her and it was Fat Tsung, after betraying the Triad, who had helped him dispose of her body.
Well played brother, Calisto thought. I hurt your friends, and now you hurt mine.
As for Fat Tsung, Calisto had him kidnapped, flayed, and burnt alive. She left the rest of the Triad alone, allowing them to find themselves a new leader. After all, no telling when she’d need their help in the near future.
Calisto continued watching Elena’s funeral from afar. Her father, Yuen Xi, otherwise known as the Dragon, didn’t even shed a tear for his daughter—the old bastard. But then again, who was Calisto to judge? She couldn’t shed any tears either.
She wondered what an acceptable time period was to mourn Elena’s death. She figured that four more hours should do it. After all, tomorrow was another day, which meant more shit needed to be sorted out.
She was still skeptical that Shadow had the gall to murder Elena in cold blood. But if he did, it was practically a death sentence for him. Yuen Xi was not a man who let things go. With the backing of every powerful family in Asia, it was a fight that her stupid brother couldn’t win.
Perhaps it was for the best though, Calisto thought. At some point, her brother had to die—just so Calisto could breathe a little easier—but she wasn’t ready to let him go yet.
After all, she still loved the idiot.
She figured that when the time came, getting over the death of her brother would probably take a day or two at most. More time wasted.
Calisto also had to decide what to do with Lincoln, now that she had him in her clutches. A few weeks ago, she was leaning towards having him killed after one last epic fuck. The thought of her dominating Lincoln, while he was in chains, delighted her but now circumstances had changed.
Fuck, everything had changed because of her.
And of course finally, she needed to figure out just what to do with her.
Calisto was getting a headache from thinking too much.
The funeral was coming to an end, and Calisto decided that now was a good time as any to leave the cemetery before she was spotted.
She got into the backseat of the Mercedes Benz.
The driver closed the door behind her, and then entered into the driver’s seat.
“Where to boss?” he asked.
“The same place I go every night,” Calisto sighed, “Home.”
Keeping a low profile also meant sacrificing all the parties and wild nights out, which she missed terribly. But that was alright. Circumstances had changed after all.
Her phone suddenly buzzed, which took her by surprised. Only three people had access to her phone number: Elena Zhao being one of them, but now she was dead so she didn’t count anymore. Odin London was the second—the man who Calisto assigned to replace Elena as her second-in-command.
It was neither of them who had texted her, which could only mean it was the third person, who was a complete wildcard when it came to loyalty.
She was intrigued.
Calisto flipped open the phone to see an attachment sent via text message. She opened it.
The image made her laugh immediately.
“Oh Golden Virgin, what have you been doing?” she asked, rhetorically as she stared at the image of Aria and Lincoln, sitting next to each other on a swing, lips locked together. It would have been a cute picture, if the origins of it weren’t rooted in deceit.
Another text came in.
“?,” it read, simple and to the point.
Calisto thought about it for a moment, before responding.
Have Shadow see it.
She closed the phone and looked out the window.
The day was getting better already.
Calisto smiled. It didn’t take long to get over Elena after all.
FIN.
Final Thoughts
Here we go again!
More madness, mayhem, sexy time, dead bodies, and now some magic thrown in for good measure. I hope you enjoyed it.
When I first set out to write Semblance, the first book in the Midnight Society series, I never thought it would become a best seller. But it did, and I have YOU to thank for it. You’re awesome, sexy, crazy, cool, and deserve a slice of cake and a tequila shot.
Writing the second book was equally challenging since once again, I wrote it on the train ride to work. The worst was when my dad found me in the corner, typing away at the sex scene where Aria gets finger-banged on the piano. He sat down next to me.
Awkward doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Anyway, if you enjoyed Penumbra, make sure to leave me a review on Amazon! I keep saying, the more reviews I get, the faster it fuels me to write.
Leave Logan A Review on Amazon.
Also, drop by my website, twitter, and facebook where I keep you up to date on all my zany adventures while I continue to bring you the story of Aria, Shadow, and whoever’s still standing at the end of my books.
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You can also meet some pretty groovy ladies who enjoy talking about the secrets of the Midnight Society on the official fan page of the Midnight Society!
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Dedications and Acknowledgements
This book is dedicated to my girls, the inspiration to everything that I do. May the force be with you…
There are many individuals who have helped make this book awesome. Thanks to my betas, Robin, Tracie, Gabi, and Kristin. You ladies are the four horsewomen of my apocalypse. Thanks to Jen over at Henrycavill.org for putting up with me, and some of my neurotic craziness. Thanks to Tarah, who is one amazing artist and kick ass girl. You are the fan that all writers dream about.
Finally, to my wife for supporting me and to my daughter for looking up to me: All the hugs and kisses in the world go to you two.
About the Author
Logan discovered both love and heartbreak at the tender age of seven, when the pretty little blue-eyed girl next door stole his kit-kat bar and shared it with the bad boy from across the street. Devastated, Logan found solace by escaping into the imaginary worlds he forged with his words, creating kingdoms where chivalrous knight always got the princess.
Twenty three years later, Logan spends his day
s in a suit and tie, working for the government on matters of network security. However his thoughts never strayed too far from the incendiary nature of love -- the passionate fire that's both scintillating and dangerous. Obsessed with exploring the steamy and mysterious side of human nature, Logan continues to create worlds filled with thrills, mystery, and of course, sex.
Also By Logan Patricks
Semblance: Book One of the Midnight Society
Whoever said money couldn’t buy happiness has never starved a day in their lives.
My name is Aria Valencia, a third year classical music student at the university, and I was down to my last dollar. Some nights, I seriously considered working at the rippers just to make ends meet, but the thought of my dad’s spirit--God rest his soul--scowling at me while I danced up on some drooling degenerate was enough to turn me off the idea completely.
And then one night, chance came knocking on my door under the guise of the Midnight Society; a secret cabal comprised of the wealthiest souls this side of the Universe. Their leader was a man named Shadow, who was equally enigmatic as he was gorgeous, and for some mystifying reason, had his dark brooding eyes focused on me.
Seduced by the promises of fame and fortune in exchange for a seemingly innocent request, I soon found myself drawn into a provocative world filled with both vast riches and unending lies and it didn’t take long for me to realize what being a part of the Midnight Society actually entailed: shiny things, sensual romance, and dead bodies.
Falling in love with Shadow came with a terrible price, one that I wasn’t willing to pay. There’s a dark side to every love story, and this one was mine.
Purchase now on Amazon!
Author's Note:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via Internet or any other means without permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law.
Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Published By: Strange Crow Publications
Copyright © 2013 Logan Patricks
All rights reserved.
Penumbra (The Midnight Society #2) Page 30
