Page 95 of I Accidentally Hired a Shadow Walker
“Hey, let’s not play the battle of the species,” he joked. “But to answer your question, magic. Most people have pouches coded to their signature that only open to their owner. I have a vault hidden deep within the ground. Most shadows do it that way. Safest way for us.”
“Hm, that’s all so interesting.”
“Is it?” He raised a brow.
“Yeah. And this is exactly why I asked you to put together a PowerPoint for me.” I put the coffee down after another careful sip. “I wouldn’t have so many questions now if you had.”
“If anything, you would have more questions.” He chuckled. “And I was never going to do that.”
“Because you’re no fun.” I stuck my tongue out then jumped at the sound of knocking on the door behind me.
“Looks like they’re here.” He stood from the sofa. “You should go get dressed. Take your time.”
I grabbed two more of the pastries from the platter and headed back into the bedroom. After devouring them while sitting at the foot of the bed, I got ready to go.
Near the back of the room was another door, and when I looked through it, I was relieved to find a fully-equipped bathroom. He said take mytime, but I didn’t want to make them wait too long, so I took a quick shower, nearly scalding my ass in the water, then dressed in the simple blue jeans and long sleeve shirt I’d packed. I pulled my hair back into a loose bun, and I was ready to go.
“Where is everyone?” I asked Raymond when I emerged from the room to find him alone.
“Outside. Are you ready to go?” He held up a small sack. “I packed more food so you can eat while we travel.”
“Thank you.” I smiled because I was still hungry. “Anything besides that coffee to drink?”
“Water.” Raymond held up a glass bottle. “I have a few packed.”
“Perfect. Thanks.” I turned to look out the window, suddenly questioning if I really wanted to see his world. It was fine to sit back and imagine what was out there, but could I handle it?
Raymond’s hands gripped my shoulders as he moved to stand beside me. He lowered his lips to my right ear and whispered, “It's going to be okay. I promise.”
His hand slipped from my shoulder, and his fingers laced with mine. That gave me the courage I needed. We left the condo and headed outside. Raymond led me down a long flight of stairs. I realized then it wasn’t a building full of different apartments, but one tall tower with a simple home at the top. Somehow, it fit, knowing it belonged to Metice. He didn’t seem like the type to want to be bothered with neighbors.
“What are those?” I’m sure my eyes nearly fell out of my head as soon as I saw those massive beasts. They looked like horses, but their hair was fiery, and it looked like they had lava flowing through their flesh. Behind them was a carriage. It was dark, but it also had ruffled curtains that made me think an evil queen would be inside.
“Those belong to Metice.” Raymond rolled his eyes. “So damn archaic.”
“That’s our ride.” Cufio appeared and pointed at a vehicle that floated above the ground.
That odd-looking vehicle resembled a hybrid of a bubble and an antique train car. Large, curved windows were framed in brass, and through them, I could see four rows of seating all lined with plush cushions. Two large glass pipes at the back emitted steam. Though it floated above the ground, it also had wheels that looked like they could extend to the ground when not floating.
“Cool, huh? It uses a blend of hot air, static, and water to run,” Cufio boasted as he headed over to the vehicle.
He reached up and opened the door, and a ladder of metal steps folded out and dropped to the ground, making it easier to climb into the vehicle that sat at least four feet off the ground.
“Impressive.” I nodded, though a part of me wanted to ride in that carriage with the fire horses. Still, I knew that wouldn’t happen by the way Raymond was already pushing me toward the hover vehicle.
“Let’s go. We don’t want to be late,” Metice called as he stepped out of the carriage. Behind him was a little blue creature. It looked almost like it would be called a dog on Earth, the kind only millionaires could afford and would tote around like accessories instead of pets. It had enormous eyes and looked friendly, but something told me not to touch it. “What are we waiting for?”
“Nothing,” Raymond responded. “We’re all set. We’ll ride separately.”
“I figured as much.” Metice nodded, appearing unphased by the comment.
“Why do you have a denati with you?” Raymond pointed at the creature.
Metice grunted, glancing down at the little blue one. “It's a long story.”
“It's really not that long.” Cufio jumped at an opportunity to tease Metice. “That thing belongs to his girl, and if he doesn't take good care of it, he's going to be in a lotof trouble.”
“You know what? You're right—some things really do change.” Raymond turned, put his arm around my shoulder and headed for the strange bubble car. A soft chuckle rumbled through his chest, and it was the first time I had seen him express anything but disdain for Metice.
