Nightshade Claim - Chapter 1Aria Vale had three rules for every job. Never steal from the same mark twice. Never leave DNA behind. And never, under any circumstances, get caught.Tonight she broke all three.The private auction house sat on the edge of the city like a polished tomb. Invitation only. Old money and older secrets. Aria had spent two weeks studying the floor plans, the guard rotations, the single blind spot in the camera grid. The target was a small black-velvet box listed as “Lot 17 – 18th-century silver pendant, provenance unknown.” Her buyer had offered enough money to disappear for a year.She was inside the display room, gloved fingers lifting the box, when the lights snapped on.“I was wondering when you’d finally reach for it.”The voice was low, female, and amused. Aria spun, already calculating exits. A woman stood in the doorway, tall and lean in a tailored black suit, dark hair swept back from a face that looked carved from pale marble. Her eyes were the color
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