Caleb returned dressed in a lighter gray suit, a leather briefcase probably holding a new laptop along with a new phone and looking like his old self, the one that lived in a world of mages. The fancy style fit him as much as the geek tee shirt and jeans, but now he looked the part he needed to play. Dressed as the casual rich dude with flashes of old money without being an asshole about it. He gave me my old phone along with a new phone, an upgrade to the latest and best. Of course, he would. He had activated his line and attached back to the full world of mages and their technology love. He checked me up and down before handing me a ring box. It shocked me he would bother before opening the outrageous diamond ring with a rock that would pay for my apartment complex.
“Holy shit,” I spat out before I could think. It was a large, massive rock that if I shifted, would be lost. This is why I avoided most jewelry, the cost of replacing something each time I had to change was ridiculous, and I just skipped it unless I had to.
“What, you are my token wife, remember? You would need something to show off.”
“This is a fucking rock, a boulder. What happens if I lose it?”
“It is insured. Don’t worry about it, besides you shouldn’t need to turn but if so, put it in my pocket or something. I would say yours, but hell, I don’t think there is space in that smoking dress for a pocket.”
“None on me, it is borrowed, so I hope to return it in one piece.”
“Then, we will avoid shifting.” He pulled out a long chain of gold with hints of obsidian flecks within to place around my neck. “This will give you a shield if needed.”
“Got it, and did you get a car?”
“No, just a service for the next few days while I figure things out. The driver will take us to the appointment and drive us around to see the neighborhood, we might be able to track something that way.”
“Good. I forgot how it was like with you.”
“What? I thought the bike might stick out.”
“I know, but that is not my world.”
“And gang life is?”
“Yes, and it is a motorcycle club, not a gang. We do a lot of a good too, keeping the cats safe and out of trouble.”
“Fine, but this is my world right now. We will get back to yours in a bit.”
“Your world is all about cash, flash and it magically changes. I like the world where it is real; blood, work, and less bullshit.”
“I know, but let’s get this dealt with and see if we can find the mastermind asshole doing this bullshit.”
“Then, we can rip his throat out?”
“Not in that dress.” I laughed as we wandered down to the car service he hired to drive us. I was thrilled, no one I knew was around to see me right now, they would be laughing their tails off.
Chapter Eighty-Three
The driver was polite, keeping the partition up between us as we went into some of the wealthiest parts of San Antonio full of history, wealth, and beauty. So expensive that no one I knew would even come to this area unless they were working as a maid or driver if they were lucky. This place oozed too much money, too much class, just too much. It made me self-conscious. Nikki had hidden my tattoos; between the significant signs of being part of a motorcycle club, military symbology, and some others, I would stand out as not being what we were portraying, a trophy wife. We went through the gates, and I felt only a mild tinge of magic in the area, minor enough that someone had magic but not enough to show where they might be.
The driver took the long way to the house for sale, allowing us to search the area. Only one of the homes we passed had a tinge of magic, but it was low. Caleb pointed it out. “Probably a new mage or a teenager coming into their power but not what we are looking for.”
“Got it.” We pulled into a long driveway to a well-manicured lawn and trees that looked too perfect, unreal that people lived like this for real and not just movies. We exited the car, met by a nicely suited realtor with perfect teeth, perfect tan, and blonde hair. He and Caleb exchanged pleasantries as I smiled, trying not to appear to be a predator amongst them. We shook hands, the scent of his cologne was strong to my nose but probably tasteful to humans. He smelled weak, taller but fake in his build. I wasn’t sure how I could weigh people like this, but he wouldn’t do well in a fight and would run at the first sign of danger. Ignoring him, I began to look around this perfect house that made me want to toss my cookies. The whole place could hold my entire group of cats, our friends, the bar, and club with space to spare. What a waste. But Caleb and the realtor continued to talk about how well it was maintained, with original woodwork and marble floors from somewhere in Italy.
I casually made my way to the backyard to
