Beyond the Shadows

Prologue

"Grab your gear," Cheryl demands as she holsters a seraph dagger on her ankle. The girl continues to prepare for a fight, swinging her quiver over her thin, yet brawny shoulders. A girl about the same age appears next to Cheryl, fitted in a white, skin-tight dress, a snake-like bracelet clasped firmly around her left wrist.

"Remember, we don't need to kill him. We need him alive, Cheryl. He is the Clave's to deal with." Cheryl huffs in annoyance and ties her fiery locks into a tight ponytail atop her head.

Spinning around on her heels, Cheryl makes eye contact with the girl, "I'll do what I have to, Veronica. We all will. I'm not letting the scum get away." The red-head grabs her bow off of the weapons table and snaps her fingers above her head, signalling for everyone to follow her.

The other individual went unnoticed in the room until now, a two-sided blade situated in his right-hand, his jaw set. He looks over at Veronica and she just shakes her head. They are both aware of Cheryl's stubbornness, they just don't want things going sideways.

The boy fixes his quaffed auburn hair, "We'll get him. The right way." Veronica nods her head and they both look to Cheryl. The girl sassily turns her head to the side and stalks out of the room, the others right behind her.

***

Toni Topaz is on her way home, taking the subway through Brooklyn; her late-night shift at Pandemonium having just ended minutes ago. She started working at the club as a waitress when she was eighteen; three years later and she is now a bartender, mostly working late hours. She is exhausted but living in the city is costly. She needs the money.

Toni arrives at her apartment building. She makes her way up the creaking wooden stairs, her hair that was once braided perfectly to the side, now almost completely undone, strands of pink sticking out. Her purse is haphazardly hanging from her left shoulder as she grabs her keys from inside the pocket of her black leather jacket. She comes to a halt at A3, unlocks the door, and steps inside, sluggishly closing the door behind her. She sets her bag down next to the threshold and discards her combat boots to the side. Just then, her uncle comes into view, "Hey, darlin'. I got some Chinese food from that place you like down the street."

Toni looks at him and smiles gratefully, she didn't realize how hungry she was until the smell of fried rice and kung pao chicken overtook her senses. "Thanks, uncle Luke."

Her uncle rolls his eyes and sits on the lonely couch in the living room and continues watching sports on their small Vizio television, "I've told you since you were ten...you can just call me Luke. Uncle Luke is too formal and it's just weird."

Toni chuckles as she takes a bite of kung pao chicken, "I know. I just like messing with you." She makes her way over to the couch and sits next to her uncle, shoveling fried rice into her mouth.

"How was your shift tonight?" her uncle questions, eyes still glued on the T.V.

She gulps down her food and answers, "Fine. Just the usual creepy men and drunk white girls." Luke looks at her pointedly.

"You know I can come to each of your shifts and be like your personal bodyguard," he states as he flexes, his muscles popping out of the white t-shirt he is wearing.

Toni laughs and slaps his arm, "Ew, stop!"

He laughs with her, "But seriously, you know I get done at the bookshop before you head to work. I can go with you."

Toni shakes her head in response. "You know that's super embarrassing. I can take care of myself. Besides, I still have that switchblade you gave me. I take it everywhere."