I'm Batman I Live In The Shadows Novels & Stories

She lowers her voice to a whispered hiss, “slutting around for years, Aris. Do you really think no one has noticed how easily you tend to slip away and do whatever the hell you want?” I smirk into the golden haze of the sunset now draping over the beach, casting long shadows on the sand. “I’m a Shadowsynger, Brie. Slipping into the shadows–being an actual shadow–is what I was made to do. You can’t fault me for that, just like the family can’t take fault in what I like to do in my free time. Blake’s mess, Maeve’s scandal, and your disappearance gives me more freedom than I’ll ever have again. I’m enjoying it while it lasts.”

**The Shadows Den...** The Shadows, an enigmatic group that thrived in the deepest recesses of the underworld, were far more than just a syndicate—they were legends, whispered about in fear and awe. Their origin was shrouded in darkness, and the truth about who they were remained a secret known only to the four of them. Two men and two women, united by a shared history of pain, vengeance, and an unquenchable thirst for power.

Maybe this was a different kind of love. I took a stack of flyers and set off on my bicycle. The area I was responsible for was the eastern part of the pack. I didn't know any of the werewolves living in the east, but luckily Mr. Wilson had given me a map and a list to refer to. Glancing at the list, Beta William's name was prominently listed. I couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed and nervous. If I happened to encounter Hilda Judson again, and if she had the intention to torture me, it would be quite troublesome. With a sigh, I prayed she wouldn't be home.

The man turned his gaze towards us, his lips curling into a sly smile. "The name is Vincent, leader of the notorious Los Angeles Shadows. And your lives are now intertwined with ours." The name sent shivers down my spine. The Los Angeles Shadows were renowned for their criminal activities, feared by many as I've heard on the news and rumors. We had unwittingly stumbled into their world, and now we were at their mercy. The gravity of our situation sank in as we exchanged fearful glances. We were no longer carefree girls ready to strut down the runway, but rather pawns in a dangerous game. If we wanted to survive, we had no choice but to comply with Vincent's demands.

I shouldn't believe a word that comes out of their mouth. "Adrian is not a liar! You people are all monsters! You want to turn him into the monster? No, I wouldn't believe a word you say!" Leo clapped his hand, then looked at me, "He's really gotten you good hasn't he? Have you ever asked him to show you the tattoo he has as a member of the Shadows? All their members have it ..I guess no, he hasn't because he was never part of them. WE ARE THE SHADOWS." He yanked his shirt up and a huge black skull tattoo on the side of his ribcage is revealed. The others showed theirs too.

Or just a pale imitation, a ghost haunting the spaces between who I’d been and who I hoped to become? The days had stretched into a monotonous blur since William’s final betrayal. I drifted through each one like a shadow, reluctant to fully wake or completely surrender. I avoided calls, ignored messages, and stayed locked inside this room, wrapped in the suffocating silence that felt both like protection and punishment.

The streets of San Francisco were quite unfamiliar to me, and I had no idea where to go. My life had been so linear before now, from Caleb’s house to Bayview hospital, and from the hospital back to Caleb’s house but now, I was lost in a maze with no clear way out. As I stood there, cryptic thoughts swirled in my mind, refusing to settle. “So his grandfather was Xavier the Second? The very same one from the Twelfth Baptist Church?” I couldn’t wrap my head around it. How was it even possible? My breath hitched as I muttered under my breath,

I thought about what he said for a moment and I felt guilty, but then again, I was in this mess because of him as well. So basically, we’re in this crap together. “Fine.” I pouted and hugged the clothes to my chest with a sigh as I stood up. Walking towards the bathroom, I stopped in place and frowned. “What’s wrong?” Sinister asked in that warm winter voice of his. “Sinister,” I breathed turning back at him, “This place, Vitaly, those people… they’re-“

Then she stopped. Through the quiet rustling, I thought I heard her calling my name. “Mariah, where are you? I’m so scared...” My mom had always been afraid of the dark. I grew up in a single-parent household so to support me, my mom often worked late into the night. I always waited for her at the end of a long alley, eager to escort her home. By holding my hand, she always found the courage to step into the darkness. She also suffered from claustrophobia.