By the current chapter laws, everyone in Scorpio’s outfit was now part of the mother chapter. Talon wasn’t about to think he couldn’t trust any of them out on the road. It was all about what silent signals he sent out. Taking one of Scorpio’s riders and not his own could tell others Talon was either shifting his favor or taken over by the chapter. Taking his riders would underline defiance. Talon may have mentally assumed control of his Club once more, but at the very least Scorpio and Dust deserved a conversation before a bold statement was made to the masses.
Talon had barely finished his statement when the figure shadowed the doorway into the bar. He barely believed his own eyes until he heard someone from behind him say, “There he is, I knew you’d give in and have a drink!”
Talon swayed his head knowing if his eyes were not lying to him and he was looking at Temple, the male was not going to take a drink or a woman for that matter. Talon had tried a million times over.
Talon laughed out loud as he ticked his head for the rider to come his way. Temple stood well over six foot. Over the last few centuries he had lost most of his boyishness, but Talon could still see it in his hunter green eyes. His hair was a bit long waving in thick locks, the golden glint to his skin was a clear sign that like always, Temple was outside more than he ever was in.
This kid should be ranked as high as Thrash by now, but he wasn’t. The one reason: Reveca kept him tucked too tightly under her skirt. Temple wasn’t a fallen warrior saved by Reveca’s good graces. He was what Reveca liked to call a true immortal. A born witch, royal blood as it were, and given immortality by the Dominarum Coven. He never quite stuck with them, though.
Talon saw the hunger in his eyes the first time he met him. It was mixed with wild abandonment. He’d been left behind by his parents, twisted in some fucked curse of the coven. Temple’s good nature had him trusting that the coven knew what the fuck they were talking about, but his independence had him squirming in his boots. Reveca tried for a long while to keep him from the Sons. She searched the world far and wide sticking him with every deep thinking asshat she could find. As much as she despised her coven at times, she admired their demand for education.
Temple always made it back to Talon and the others. Finally, Talon put his foot down. “He’s a Son, right and true. I don’t give a fuck about his past, but his future is mine to protect. No more walls between him and the boys. The kid needs someone to trust. Someone he doesn’t question.”
It was an ugly fight. Jamison even had the gall to get in the middle of it. When it was over the choice was left to Temple. He chose Talon, which thoroughly chapped more than a few asses at the coven. Making it by far one of Talon’s favorite days in his long existence.
All was well and good with Temple around— his club name was well deserved. His given name was his fathers, Soren, a fallen witch the coven was positive was gonna rise from the dead or some shit. Temple was a teacher. Most of the guys would heed Reveca’s warning about balance and karma, but it was Temple that made them believe it.
The young with their untested, undying faith have an odd pull to them. It takes a soul back to when they too thought anything was possible and never went a single day without witnessing a miracle. Miracles as brilliant as a rainbow after a storm, or seeing a butterfly dance by just in time to break one’s sorrow. All mushy shit, but the Club needed it, epically so in the Dark Ages.
As far as Talon knew Temple never took a woman, and if he did, he made damn sure it was his business and no one else’s. He never reached for a mortal high with drugs or drink. His excuse was simple. It fucked up his magic and whatever mojo he needed to be calm enough to reach deep and bring his power to the surface.
All was well and good until a few decades back. One morning the entire coven appeared at once around Talon’s table. They’d come for Temple, and Talon would be damned if he wasn’t ready to give them the fight of their life. Their excuse was bullshit as far as he was concerned. How the fuck did they know the boy’s parents were resurrected?
Negotiations were long and tense, in the end, Temple was given a choice again. This time he chose neutral ground, instead of going back and letting the coven ship him across the globe, he was promoted and given his own chapter in Memphis, Tennessee. According to the coven, they could not chance his parents seeing him until they were ready to die again. Right, it was a totally fucked situation.
Talon rode up to see Temple a few times a year until the last decade, by then Blackwater had made it clear that he would come after Reveca anytime Talon was gone. He had no choice but to save his out of town trips for battles with Rogues, and even those were short and sweet.
Talon stood from his stool and held his arms out for Temple to come to him. “When the fuck did you get here?” he asked patting his back in a tight hug.
“A few weeks back.”
The grin on Talon’s face dipped a little. A new anger for Reveca and her coven skirted across his emotions. Reveca knew how bad off Talon was, and didn’t think twice about letting him say goodbye to this kid.
“The coven know?”
A bit confused Temple nodded once. “I thought you knew,” he said as he glanced around the bar. “These guys were there when I met my parents.” Temple didn’t bother to hide the pain in his eyes. “I guess I thought it was too much for you.”
Talon pressed his lips together as he reached for the male’s head and brought his forehead to his own. “You know damn well if I knew I would’ve been there.”
Temple squeezed Talon’s arm as they both pulled away staring deeply between them. Talon was ready to shred Reveca. He could sense Temples grief, how scared he was just remembering all he had just been through. Talon should’ve fucking been there.
“You knew about this?” Talon asked Judge.
“Saw it,” Judge said looking deep into Temple.
“This is the shit she was off doing? You told me she was helping Saige and some other shit in the Edge.”
“That too,” Judge said.
Talon cursed under his breath then looked at Temple. “Did they keep you away from those people only to let you watch them die?” He was ready to tell him those kids were not his parents and that the coven was fucking with him if that was true. Not that he knew, but he would say anything to take Temple’s pain.
“They brought me ‘round to watch them rise from death,” Temple said with a half grin.
Talon was quiet for a minute trying to gauge what angle Reveca and her coven had been working in the background of the Club’s drama, and he was coming up empty.
“So what now?” Talon asked.
“I see em when I want.”
“I set him up in a cabin close to yours,” Judge said. He gave Temple a once over. “Figured we needed a witch about.”
Talon narrowed his eyes on Judge. He wasn’t dumb. Judge was making right what Reveca hadn’t cared two shits about. He was bringing Temple in for Talon to see before it was too late.
“Yeah, we do. Where the fuck is Cash anyway?” Talon asked glancing at the stage. “Isn’t he due back by now?”
Judge shrugged, and Temple glanced away.
“What the fuck?” Talon demanded.
Without looking up from Little Dove, Judge plainly said he didn’t know. Temple’s head slowly turning to meet Talon’s said he knew more than he wanted to admit.
“I think it’s all in the air and shit. But Cashton’s girl is tight with Mom.”
“Your mom?”
“It’s weird to call her that, she’s barely twenty, but yeah, in another life she had me. She’s River’s twin.” Temple hesitated knowing his next words could hit any number of ways and they all depended on Talon’s mood. “My mom’s father in this life is Jamison BellaRose, she and my dad are supernatural guardians to her sister Raven BellaRose. They were working on handling Cashton’s escape plan from death.”
Raven BellaRose. The tween that King had died for, the whole reason he was with Crass in the first fucking place. Talon g
runted, he never liked how weaved the souls about were. At times, he doubted he’d ever met a stranger or anyone by mistake for that matter.
“And how’s that going?” Talon asked.
Temple grimaced. “Long story. Not mine to tell. If I see Cash ‘round I’ll tell him you were asking after him.”
“You do that,” Talon said, adding this bullshit to a list of things he and Reveca would fight about later. It didn’t matter Saige had sent Reveca into death to bring Cashton back. Talon had initiated him into his Club, which made Cashton’s business his business. Same was true with Temple. Fuck they did count me as dead and gone, didn’t they! What else was he in the dark about?
“Talon was ‘bout to ride out,” Judge said carefully, not to give an order but simply put the topic on the table.
“Oh yeah?” Temple said. “Mind if I come along? It’s been a while.”
Talon was sliding the rest of his ice cream in Little Dove’s bowl, so it was hard to tell who his sly grin was aimed at. “Gotta check on some business. Taurus was coming. You are more than welcome to ride along. First, you gotta tell me your status. What has the coven demanded now that your witness protection shit is said and done?”
Temple stepped forward. “I don’t care what circumstances brought me under your wing. I’m staying. This is home to me. I’m a Son.”
There was no holding Talon’s proud grin back. “All right then. Is your whole crew here? We need to make room?”
“Nah, they’re doing a charity run. Need to talk to you about getting back here when you have the time.”
“We’ll make it happen.”
Talon kissed Little Dove’s cheek then looked silently at Judge, giving him orders of things to look out for and work on while he was gone. Then he nudged Temple to come on. Taurus followed without a word.
When they stopped at the last station before the city, Talon told the pair of them where to roll out to first. There were two crews within five miles that needed a nice surprise visit. They were small enough Talon didn’t feel the need to be there. Instead, he planned to take the time to have a quick one on one meeting.
Unlike the others, Temple and Taurus didn’t give any grief when he sent them off leaving him alone. It was refreshing to have his men look at him like they knew he could handle anything again.
Once the sound of their bikes was far in the distance, Talon roared his bike to life then rode it to the back of the station only to back it next to the driver’s side of a dark Sedan.
Once parked, he glanced sideways at the driver. “You know Blackwater used to have me do shit like this all the time. Brave fuck, he was. Stupid as hell, though, never worked meeting Reveca and me on our own tryna to turn us or some shit.” He ticked his chin up, eying his company. “I never took you for a fool.”
Detective Mathis grinned at the wayward compliment and then handed a steaming cup of coffee toward Talon. “I heard more than one bike. Thought we agreed one on one when I called this morning.”
“You did. They went to handle some business while we chat.”
Mathis nodded as he stared forward. Talon wasn’t a bit surprised to see the glimmer of relief in his expression. The law would never admit it, but sometimes it was better to let the organized crime run the show. Even with their primitive laws, justice was met more times by their hands than all the saturated laws no one understood in the first place.
Talon’s Sons stopped more hell than they ever created.
“It’s that bad out there, eh?” Talon said taking a draw of his coffee.
Mathis chuckled. “I have no fucking idea. Nothing makes much sense these days.” He kept his stare straight ahead as he spoke on. “Before we go on, I need you to assure me Miss Beauregard is safe and sound.”
It wasn’t the first time Talon had been accused of doing away with his woman, but this was by far one of the most surprising. So much so there was no stopping his carefree laugh. “Do you think I have a fucking clue where that female is?”
“Word of the split between the two of you is making its rounds on the street,” he glanced Talon’s way. “To some, it’s a bad omen. To others… I’m not so sure I like the look in their eye.”
“Everything is fucking peachy with me and mine.” It was an easy lie. One him and Reveca had agreed on a hundred times in the past if they had once. Perception was all that mattered in the game they played.
“She’s not calling me back.”
“She’s not calling anyone back,” Talon said quickly tossing out the rest of his coffee. “Look, women like Reveca can’t stay in one spot too long, even if they wanted to. She does this. She’s gotta feel free now and again before she can feel at home again.”
“Like her mother,” Mathis pointed out.
Talon furrowed his brow in doubt; he had no idea what Reveca’s mother was like. All he knew was she raised two daughters that could not be more different if they tried. Then it dawned on him that was not who Mathis was speaking of. Johnny T, Mathis’s father was killed the night Blackwater ‘killed’ Reveca forever ago.
He gave Mathis a shallow nod.
“Yeah, my dad’s notes said as much. He used to worry about her,” Mathis grinned. “Then he worried more about you. Said she was not a woman to be messed with.”
“He’s not wrong.” Talon looked long and slow over Mathis. “Why are you hunting her anyway?”
“This fucking town,” Mathis said under his breath. “Nothing is ever what it seems.”
Neither spoke for a moment. Talon didn’t bother to fill the silence.
“I gotta call...seems there is doubt Blackwater is dead at all.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Talon knew that bastard’s DNA was planted all over the fucking place, enough that the fire could not have taken it all.
Mathis pursed his lips. “Someone from internal affairs stirring up shit. They are saying it was all planted, by them, so that the Sons would think the heat was off of them. They claim they knew they were being set up by you guys, let you get as far as you could with it.”
Talon laughed. “All that trouble and not even half a year later they want to brag about it? You fake a death, you better damn well get more time than that out of it.”
“That would make sense wouldn’t it?” Mathis agreed. “I don’t know. I won’t believe it until I lay eyes on him.” His gaze shifted to Talon. “Even then I might wait to pass final judgment on the matter.”
“You see that fuck, you let me know. We’ll handle it together. His ass is dead. Someone’s playing you.”
“Playing more than me,” Mathis said as he handed Talon a folder.
Inside there were mug shots that were decades old, each paper clipped to a death certificate and recent police report.
“Old enemies of yours?” Mathis asked.
They were, most were mortals. A few Talon had taken down himself. There were a few Rouges in the mix too, but none of them had ever run with the Devil’s Den or come close to Akan’s level of nonsense. If Talon’s math was right, he wasn’t even in the country when all this went down. He and Zale had vanished, effectively inspiring a time of peace.
“All damn day the phone has rung. People are swearing this last day of the dead had some serious consequences.”
“You’re yanking my chain,” Talon said tossing the file back into Mathis’s lap and eyeing the flash drive Mathis handed him in return.
“Wish I was. Check for yourself. Only a few of those in that file had a known grave. They are empty graves now.”
Again, Talon let the silence stay, all he could think about was Talley and Mia.
“This city is losing its shit,” Mathis said. “I know if I’ve gotten wind of it you sure as hell know about it. I want to hear it from you that whatever the fuck is going on is being handled.”
It was hard for Talon not to show his rage because he didn’t have a fucking clue what was going on. He offered a sly grin, a promise it would be handled, immediately.
“Go
od. Another thing, whatever way you have to get a hold of your woman, I need you to do this. They need to ask her more questions about the fire with Blackwater.”
“Play with her fucking head you mean.”
“It’s possible. I know the guy is dead. Just tell her to keep to her facts.”
Sure.
“What about my people you jackasses have locked up on trumped up charges.”
“Please. You know we don’t have them.”
“We’ll I sure as fuck don’t either. Are you tryna tell me they were fucking taken? Gangs or Feds—spill it.”
Mathis’s genuine surprise was exactly what Talon needed to see. He may not have understood exactly where his people were, but the law needed to know he didn’t have them. Otherwise, they would come in hot looking for them and cause even more drama.
“I’ll look into it.”
“You’ll fucking look into it? That’s my family. Bastion is just a kid. This whole time I thought they were fed bait and now you’re telling me you got nothin’.”
“I’m telling you it wasn’t us.” Mathis tapped the file. “The driver of the transport van is in this file. He died on April 10, 1965.”
“You’re fucked up man. That’s a kid or some shit. Bad blood never goes away.”
“With the same prints? We recovered the vehicle, but no matter how hard we look we can’t figure out where the fuck they went. They’ve vanished.”
Talon pointed at him as he narrowed his eyes. “You tell whatever surveillance you have at my place they better move the fuck on or they will be praying the dead can rise. Otherwise, they won’t be seen at Christmas this year.”
Talon roared his bike to life. Over the sound of the engine, Mathis mouthed the word Reveca. Talon flipped him off before he roared away.
Talon wanted to haul ass back to the Boneyard and get to the fucking bottom of all that had been going on while he was down and out. And he would in time. First, he was going to milk the streets for any word they had on the madness Mathis was talking about.
Risen Dead? Please. No one comes back without his say. Especially fucks he had already sent to their maker because they were shady as fuck.